Why Tomas Tavares could be a good long-term signing for Tottenham
According to Football London, Tottenham have been linked with a move for young Benfica right-back Tomas Tavares. He enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Portuguese top-flight last term.
As per the report, Jose Mourinho is looking to use his native connections in a bid to bolster his ranks ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign and has identified Tavares as an option.
Profile
Born in Peniche, Portugal, to parents of Cape Verdean descent, Tomas Tavares rose through the youth ranks of Benfica and initially impressed for the reserve side before making his first-team debut as a starter against RB Leipzig in the Champions League last season.
The 19-year-old went on to make 12 appearances for Benfica in the Primeira Liga last term while also starting seven games in the Champions League and Europa League. Tavares finished the 2019-20 season with 26 appearances across all competitions, earning rave reviews for his impressive development.
The highly-rated right-back has represented Portugal across several age groups between U-17 and U-21, accumulating a total of 35 caps in the process.
Tavares could improve Tottenham’s squad depth
Tottenham have already completed some fruitful business in this window, with deals for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart and Matt Doherty to address squad depth issues in several departments.
Doherty’s arrival is expected to solve a nagging issue in a key area of the pitch for Mourinho, who had Serge Aurier as his only specialist right-back last season. However, Aurier’s long-term future remains up in the air. He has been linked with a move away from Tottenham throughout the summer.
The 27-year-old seems destined for an exit amidst interest from AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. The departure of the Ivorian would once again leave Spurs with very little depth at right-back.
As the worst case, Tottenham need to start preparing for life without Aurier. Bringing in a promising youngster like Tomas Tavares with one eye on the future would be an excellent long-term move.
The fact that he is already rubbing shoulders with the senior pros at the tender age of 19 is indicative of a level of maturity that belies his tender age. Tavares’ talent and potential were very much on display during Benfica’s European campaign last term.
Read more
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Verdict
Tomas Tavares looks more than capable of slotting into Mourinho’s plans as an understudy to Doherty at right-back next season if Aurier ends up leaving the club. The Portuguese youth international seems to have a bright future ahead of him. Tottenham completing a move for the Benfica starlet could pay off handsomely for their long-term plans moving forward.
