Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has revealed that Spurs will be looking to use Kyle Walker-Peters as a makeweight in the deal to land Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton if the Saints want to sign the defender permanently.
Hojbjerg has been an ever-present in the Saints midfield since arriving on the South Coast and has taken his game to the next level since the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The midfielder has already hinted that he wants to play at a higher level in England (Sport 1), and reports have indicated that Spurs have made him their number one midfield target this summer (Football Insider).
Walker-Peters’ loan move to Southampton hasn’t gone to plan thus far as the young defender only managed one game for the Saints before the season was suspended (transfermarkt).
However, it has been revealed that Hasenhuttl is a fan of the 23-year-old and Southampton could try and sign him permanently this summer (Sky Sports).
When asked about Tottenham’s pursuit of Hojbjerg, Gold said: “He ticks so many boxes for Tottenham. He’s only 24 but he’s got four years of Premier League experience under his belt.
“Hojbjerg also plays in that defensive midfield role Spurs need bodies in, he’s got leadership capabilities – something else Tottenham have lacked – and on top of all of that he’s only got one year left of his deal so he’s not going to come with a crazy price tag.
“Tottenham looked at bringing him in during the January transfer window but the deal was not a workable one then but they are likely to revisit it when the next window comes along.
“How Kyle Walker-Peters settles in at Southampton and how much of a part he plays for them when football resumes will also be a factor as Tottenham will be able to use him as part of any potential deal for the Saints captain.
“Hojbjerg himself has admitted in recent days that he wants to move on to a higher level now and that Southampton are aware of that and playing for Mourinho will appeal to him and for a club like Tottenham with their history of successful Danes.
“There remain questions over the midfielder’s ability to be consistent at the very top level, and some still point to his struggle to become a regular at Bayern Munich after joining as a 17-year-old.
“Plenty of water has passed under the bridge since then though and if Spurs can get him for a good price – it’s all about that price tag this window with a lack of finances – then he makes perfect sense for the club and fits their transfer profile of a young player than can be developed and be worth even more.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Hojbjerg indeed ticks a lot of boxes and so it would be a wasted opportunity if we don’t go for him this summer. The problem with the Southampton midfielder isn’t a lack of consistency but rather that he doesn’t offer much on the ball. However, at Spurs, one would presume he will probably be used in a deeper role to give the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso the freedom to get forward.
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