Why Swansea City should re-sign Cameron Carter-Vickers to bolster defence
According to the Daily Mail (h/t Wales Online), Swansea City are among a host of Championship clubs credited with an interest in out-of-favour Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Bournemouth and Luton Town are also believed to be in the race to sign the 22-year-old, who enjoyed a productive loan spell at Swansea in the second-tier back in the 2018-19 campaign. It has also been reported that Tottenham are prepared to sanction a permanent exit for Carter-Vickers, who has only one year left to run on his current deal in North London.
As per the report, Swans boss Steve Cooper is on the lookout for options to bolster his backline before the conclusion of the domestic transfer window on October 16, with the Welsh outfit making enquiries regarding the availability of Carter-Vickers.
Profile
Cameron Carter-Vickers joined Tottenham’s academy at the age of 11 back in 2009 and made quick progress through the ranks before making his first-team debut during the 2016-17 campaign. He featured in four domestic cup games for his boyhood club that season but hasn’t made a single senior appearance for the Lilywhites in over three years.
Instead, the United States international has spent time on loan at five different clubs – Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Swansea City, Stoke City, and Luton Town – in the Championship over the past three seasons, accumulating a total of 92 appearances in England’s second-tier so far.
Carter-Vickers represented the United States at U-18, U-19, and U-23 levels earlier in his career before making his senior international debut back in 2016 and has since accumulated 8 caps for his nation.
Carter-Vickers would add more depth to Swansea’s backline
Swansea City recently grabbed the headlines with the capture of Swedish international striker Viktor Gyokeres on a season-long loan deal from Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion, thus ending their long and hard pursuit of a replacement for Rhian Brewster in front of goal.
Gyokeres’ arrival undoubtedly comes as a massive boost to the Swans, who have made a positive start to their Championship campaign this term with two wins and a draw from their opening three league fixtures. However, it goes without saying that Swansea still lack adequate depth in several areas of the pitch, including the centre-back department.
The departure of Mike van der Hoorn on a free transfer at the end of last season has robbed Swansea of some real depth and quality at the heart of the backline. Cooper has managed to retain the services of Marc Guehi on a second successive loan from Chelsea, but they are yet to bring in a replacement for the Dutchman.
The manager has used Guehi alongside Welsh internationals Ben Cabango and Joe Rodon in his back-three system this season, but Swansea currently do not have much specialist cover for their first-choice central defensive triumvirate.
Kyle Naughton and Korey Smith are handy makeshift options in a back-three system but Swansea ideally need another specialist centre-back to facilitate effective rotation and quality competition for places over the course of a 46-game campaign in the Championship.
Cameron Carter-Vickers, to that end, represents a tried and tested option in England’s second-tier. His previous loan experience at Swansea City means that the United States starlet should find it a lot easier to settle down quickly and make an instant impact.
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Verdict
Cameron Carter-Vickers might have struggled to make the grade in the PL but has looked fairly reliable during his previous loan spells in the Championship, thus making him a lucrative option for Swansea.
The United States starlet still has his best years ahead of him at 22 and Cooper, who is well-known for his ability to nurture young talents, shouldn’t hesitate to take a punt on the talented Tottenham graduate before the deadline.
