With the world of football in lockdown this month, the transfer rumour mill is in full flow, and that certainly appears to be the case for Tottenham Hotspur.
Sky Sports have suggested that chief scout Steve Hitchen is a long-term admirer of Valencia defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia and has continued to monitor his progress this season.
They also claim that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho would like to add a defensive midfielder to his armoury, so the 27-year-old could be high on their priorities this summer.
But is it a wise move to make? The north Londoners already splashed a club-record £55m on Tanguy Ndombele and have Moussa Sissoko nearing a return from injury – not to mention Eric Dier, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp.
Our writers have discussed the potential deal below, here’s what has been said…
Danny Lewis
“Kondogbia joining Spurs would allow Dier to drop in at centre-back and provide a powerful presence in the midfield while Sissoko continues with his struggles. He is impressive in his defensive work, making 2.4 tackles, 2.2 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per La Liga game, while showing quality on the ball with his 82.4% pass success rate – in short, he seems like everything Ndombele should’ve been. However, Mourinho should be wary of this move, considering the Frenchman’s struggles in North London, as Kondogbia has suffered two injuries this season which has limited him to 17 league appearances and another player with physical issues is the last thing Spurs need.”
Viji Jeevathayalan
“Make no mistake about it, swooping for Kondogbia would be a masterstroke from Hitchen. Spurs desperately need someone who can someone who can turn the tide of a game just with a powerful run from midfield, and the Frenchman fits the bill to perfection. As per Whoscored, he has a career average of 1.4 dribbles per game, and that ability to quicken things up in the middle of the park could freshen things up for Jose Mourinho. The north Londoners have missed Moussa Sissoko big-time since his injury, with the club winning just three Premier League games following his absence. Bringing in Kondogbia would ensure Spurs have a more than capable replacement for Sissoko, both for now, and for the long-term too.”
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Harry Sherlock
“A move for Kondogbia is a bit of a strange one. On the one hand, they do need a replacement for Victor Wanyama and bringing a defensive midfielder would allow Eric Dier to drop into central defence.
“But he has never played at a truly elite level. He has jobbed from one club to another, going from Sevilla, to Monaco, to Inter Milan and then to Valencia. There is no guarantee that making the jump to Spurs would work.
“He also missed 24 games last season through injury and has already missed eight this term.
“Spurs should swerve this move, and find a defensive midfielder with a better pedigree.”
Lewis Blain
“This move has all the hallmarks of being a disaster for Spurs. Kondogbia has a sordid history with injury and at 27, isn’t going to help the club long-term. Mourinho already has a wealth of options in the central midfield department, so maybe he should start looking ahead to what he can get out of his club-record man, Ndombele, before trying to bolster the position. It’s also awfully telling that he hasn’t been able to settle at one club in recent years, going from Monaco to Inter to Valencia since 2015. Kondogbia should be a massive swerve for Levy and co.”
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