Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their eighth signing of the summer as they prepare to beat the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United to the signature of Blackburn Rovers starlet Ashley Phillips.
Spurs have been monitoring the highly-rated 17-year-old following his breakthrough season last term and have now decided to make their move ahead of his contract expiring next summer.
And Phillips’ arrival will come at the most welcome time for Antonio Conte as he looks for added depth at the back, following the devastating news that star defender Cristian Romero is set to be out for up to four weeks with a muscle injury.
Phillips featured 11 times for Blackburn’s Under 21’s in the Premier League 2 last season, including in both ties against Tottenham ’s Under 23s, and earned himself a place on the bench for Tony Mowbray’s side for their FA Cup clash against Wigan Athletic in January.
But the 17-year-old has officially been promoted to the first team for the 2022-23 season and has started Blackburn’s last three games. That included the 3-0 defeat away to Reading on Wednesday night, where director of football Fabio Paratici was in attendance ahead of giving the green light to sanction a move, according to the Daily Mail.
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The 6ft 4in defender, who is an England under-17 international with five caps, would become Tottenham’s fourth defensive signing of the summer and second at centre half, following Clement Lenglet’s arrival on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
It certainly couldn’t come at a better time for the Lilywhites, following the gut wrenching injury to Argentine stalwart Romero, who is set to be sidelined for the next month after picking up a muscular injury during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
As reported by football.london, the 24-year-old could now miss Tottenham’s next six games, which includes their first game back in the Champions League in early September and their trip to Premier League holders Manchester City the following weekend.
Romero has been deployed in a back three alongside Eric Dier and Ben Davies for much of Conte’s reign since he took charge last November and has become an impeccable force at the back to become one of the best performing defenders in the top flight.
After initially signing on loan from Atalanta last season, Romero had to deal with a number of injuries throughout the campaign. A serious hamstring injury kept him out for three months between November and February, before a hip problem ruled him out of the final three matches of the season.
He still went on to record 30 appearances in all competitions for the club, but is now set for yet another spell on the sidelines after picking up his latest problem. Davinson Sanchez, who deputised in his absence at the back end of last season, is expected to be called upon once more.
However, Conte may also consider using summer signing Lenglet, while the arrival of Phillips will provide some cover and another option if he can make the immediate step up in north London.
