According to a recent report by Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur have held discussions with Sampdoria vice-president Antonio Romei to discuss Joachim Andersen’s potential transfer to the North London club in the summer. The same report has also revealed that Spurs are the favourites to sign him at the end of this campaign after the Premier League outfit met with Romei and club lawyer Paolo Busardo in London on Wednesday to negotiate a £22m deal for the Danish talent’s move to England.
In a recent interview with Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Andersen shared his thoughts on his future and said, “I really just concentrate on being here, and then we have to see what happens this summer.
“Because right now nothing has to happen. It’s too early.
“It is important that a club has the right plan with me. I need a view of playing time. I also don’t mind being a season more in Sampdoria.
“It’s hard to say [which is my favourite league]. England, Spain or Italy. But it comes mostly to the club, which must have a good plan for me, and it must make sense in the long term.
“I have to take the right steps at the right times. So I don’t really care if it’s Tottenham, Inter or Atletico Madrid.”
This recent development will come as a welcome bit of news for the Tottenham supporters who are all desperate to see their club make a few acquisitions in the summer transfer market. Andersen has the all the makings of a great defender and could be a long-term replacement for Toby Alderweireld at the heart of Pochettino’s backline.
Andersen is highly versatile as he primarily operates as a centre-half but is equally quite capable of filling in as a makeshift defensive midfielder at the middle of the park. The Danish defensive ace has remarkable strength and is a very reliable defender at the back. He keeps a calm head during high-pressure scenarios and can make some timely interceptions for his team. However, the Sampdoria defensive ace lacks the pace and the ball-playing ability to represent a top club like Spurs.
Pochettino’s brand of football in North London is mainly based on retaining possession and playing the ball out from the back. Hence, Andersen might not be the right choice for Tottenham’s style of play at the moment. Despite his shortcomings on the ball, he is a defender with massive potential who could be developed into a world-class talent under a classy man-manager like Pochettino.
There is no doubt that the North London heavyweights should consider moving in for him next summer but only if he is available for a reasonable price. Otherwise, they are better of spending the money on a proven centre-back who would have an immediate effect in their squad right now and not in a few years’ time.
