According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to let go of their centre-half Kevin Wimmer this summer as Mauricio Pochettino looks to add more quality to his bench ahead of yet another hectic season. The Austrian international hasn’t quite managed to impress the boss and is way below par in terms of quality to the likes of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.
Despite having one of the best seasons in the Premier League, Pochettino has huge concerns with his bench this summer. The absence of Vertonghen and Alderweireld to occasional injuries had to be mostly shouldered by the versatile Eric Dier.
And the fact that Wimmer got only five league games under his belt indicates well what future holds for him at the North London club. If reports are to be believed, then Tottenham are holding out a decent £20 million price tag for the 24-year-old. His underwhelming displays last season hasn’t attracted many suitors, and the price tag further makes things difficult for the player.
Tottenham had bought the defender from Bundesliga side Cologne back in 2015 for just £4.3 million and they want to sell him for almost four times the amount of that now. Although 15 appearances and nil goal and assists over two seasons won’t get you the best of suitors, so is the demand in Premier League.
A young centre-half is a prized asset and is something many clubs are in dire need of. One such side is Stoke City. The Potters had a terrible season in the league gathering only 44 points from 36 games and still managing to finish in the 13th position. Mark Hughes is expected to see some changes for sure, and the departure of Bruno Martins Indi only makes the job more difficult.
The Dutch enforcer was one of the better performers for the Potters last season and Stoke City’s failure to make his loan deal permanent from FC Porto, leaves a huge gap at their backline. And Wimmer could be a good addition to the side, given his physical approach. At 187cm, the Welsh-born could be just perfect alongside veteran Ryan Shawcross giving the Potters the much-needed cushion to absorb pressure.
A centre-half by nature, he can also play as a left-back as and when needed, and his aerial dominance could come in handy if Hughes knows how to use him. He is yet to have a breakthrough season so far, but with the World Cup approaching Hughes could be guaranteed of some determined performances from the player.
