According to Sky Sports, as cited by AS, Jose Mourinho has drawn up a list of players he would want to sign in the upcoming summer. Real Madrid star Eder Militao is among the players courted by the Tottenham Hotspur manager. The Brazilian defender joined Madrid last summer for €50 million and currently has a contract until 2025.
Militao’s struggles at Real Madrid
Militao was brought in as a desired long-term replacement for Sergio Ramos last summer. However, instead of gradually replacing the veteran defender, the youngster has found it challenging to receive regular minutes under Zinedine Zidane. He has featured in only nine league games so far, which is quite surprising given Madrid’s lack of depth in the defensive department.
As far as his performances are concerned, Militao has shown glimpses of his talent. But, due to the Brazilian’s lack of game time, his progress has been severely halted. In fact, he is yet to muster 1,000 minutes of league football since arriving at Santiago Bernabeu last summer.
What can he offer to the table?
Militao may not have impressed Zidane this season. But, he is still regarded as one of the most promising defenders playing in Spain. It is mainly his excellent range of passing that makes him a top-class ball-playing defender. Despite his lack of game-time, he has notably attained a pass completion rate of 86% this season.
Defensively, Militao has a strong frame, even though he is not the tallest of defenders. He loves to tackle while the Brazilian is also quite good when it comes to dominating the aerial balls. However, finding long diagonal passes or short forward passes in between the lines remains his biggest asset as a centre-back.
Do Tottenham Hotspur need Militao?
Tottenham Hotspur are in dire need of reinforcements in the defensive department. Their crisis in the fullback slots has already been well documented. And at the centre-back position, two of their trusted defenders in Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have evidently declined over the past 12 months.
Vertonghen, in particular, has struggled a lot this season while his contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. That means Mourinho could welcome the arrival of someone like Militao.
The Real Madrid star can potentially build a formidable defensive partnership with someone like Davinson Sanchez. His passing skills could combine well with the Colombian’s rather disciplined approach in the defensive third. However, it remains to be seen whether or not Real Madrid would be willing to let go of their prized defensive asset, especially after just one season.
