The summer of 2023 really is a crucial one for Tottenham Hotspur as they look to move forward as a club after a few difficult years in N17. Spurs have just not progressed since Mauricio Pochettino left in November 2019 and fans are desperate for the return an attacking and exciting brand of football.
Currently on the lookout for a new manager following Antonio Conte's exit last month, it remains to be seen who Daniel Levy will appoint at the helm. The new man in charge will have his own ideas and he will make a decision over his players as he looks to form a squad capable of leading Spurs to silverware.
So who exactly could stay or leave Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer? football.london starts by looking at the team's current centre-backs.
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Davinson Sanchez
Sanchez was unfortunately targeted by boos from thousands of home fans in last Saturday's 3-2 defeat against Bournemouth and it resulted in an early exit after previously coming on for the injured Clement Lenglet just before half-time. A difficult day for the Colombian, it remains to be seen how much football he will play in the run-in with Tottenham rather light at centre-back at present.
Enjoying a very good first campaign with the club but guilty of some sloppy play in a number of games since, Sanchez is perhaps a player who should have been moved on before now as part of the required squad rebuild at Tottenham. Staying put last summer, the end of the season could very well spell the end of his time at Spurs.
Minutes here and there for the player just aren't enough for him and a move away ideally needs to happen before the summer transfer deadline.
Verdict: Sell
Eric Dier
Dier will soon enter the final year of the four-year deal he signed in July 2020 when Jose Mourinho was head coach. A regular in the Tottenham backline, Spurs most certainly need to upgrade in defence this summer and that could potentially result in the England international dropping out of the side unless the new manager believes he is a key part of his backline.
While some fans may want Dier to move on as part of the summer changes, Spurs are still going to need cover in defence and it's hard to see wholesale alterations take place at centre-back in one transfer window. Dier should be offered a new contract to extend his stay in north London, thus meaning that Spurs maintain the player's value and they can move him on for a decent fee in the future if they wish rather than selling him for a cut-price fee or risk losing him for nothing if his contract isn't extended.
Verdict: New deal
Cristian Romero
It's a fairly easy decision when it comes to Romero. A key player in Tottenham's backline, Romero, who signed a permanent deal last summer, should remain in north London at all costs.
Verdict: Keep
Japhet Tanganga
Injuries have severely restricted Tanganga's playing time since breaking into the first team in the 2019/20 season. The former England Under-21 international has spent the majority of this campaign on the substitutes' bench, with only six appearances in total coming his way.
After missing out on a move last summer with AC Milan interested in his services, Tanganga, for his own sake, ideally needs to part with the club come the end of the season to get his career back on track. At the age of 24 he needs to be playing week in, week out, something Tottenham unfortunately cannot offer him.
Verdict: Sell
Ben Davies
Joining the club in the summer of 2014 from Swansea City, the Welshman has been a regular in the Tottenham team under Pochettino, Mourinho and Conte. Previously operating at left-back, Davies moved to the left of the back three during Conte's spell at the club and excelled in the role.
Perhaps a player undervalued by some fans, Tottenham's previous managers and those players he has played alongside during his time at Tottenham know exactly what he offers the team. It's an easy decision when it comes to Davies as he should remain in N17 and surpass ten years at the club in 2024.
Verdict: Keep
Clement Lenglet
Linked with Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol in the summer, Tottenham in the end added to their backline with Lenglet joining on loan from Barcelona. The Frenchman has played plenty of football during his loan spell and operated on the left and also the central role in the back three on a number of occasions.
Lenglet is not someone who has upgraded Tottenham's defence, though, which is something they desperately need, and a loan return to Barcelona seems most likely.
Verdict: Loan return
Joe Rodon
Playing a bit-part role for Tottenham in the 2021/22 season, it was decided that the Wales international could head out on loan for this campaign in order to pick up some much-needed pitch time. Linking up with French side Rennes, Rodon started the season out of the team but then had to settle for a place on the bench for a few weeks after picking up a red card.
Forcing his way back into the side and performing extremely well in a famous 1-0 win over PSG, Rodon again dropped out of the side after a 3-1 defeat at Toulouse and has unfortunately missed out on the matchday squad altogether in their past two Ligue 1 fixtures. Not given an extended run in the team to show what he can do during his time at Tottenham, the 25-year-old is another who needs to be playing regular football for the sake of his career and it may be best for both parties that they go separate ways.
Verdict: Sell
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