In a recent report, Calciomercato mentioned that Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race for AS Roma defender Roger Ibanez. It has been claimed that Spurs along with Atletico Madrid have emerged as the strongest contenders in the race to land the Brazilian centre-half this summer.
Ibanez’s Good Run Of Form In Italian Football
Ibanez managed to put in a handful of dominant performances at the centre of Jose Mourinho’s defence last season. The Canela-born sensation has scored three goals in 48 matches for the Italian giants in the previous campaign across various competitions.
The 24-year-old has been a rock at the back based on his average 2.0 tackles, 2.0 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game in Serie A. He has even been tidy with his ball distribution after completing 88% of his attempted passes in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).
Ibanez’s current contract at the Italian club is set to expire in the summer of 2025. Thus, it won’t be easy for Spurs to land in this off-season.
Should Tottenham Hotspur Snap Ibanez Up This Summer?
Ibanez is a good tackler of the ball and can sense the danger quickly to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind clearing his lines when needed and can use his powerful 1.86m frame to win his fair share of aerial duels. The Brazilian sensation is primarily a centre-back but can operate as a right-back or as a defensive midfielder
We can expect Ibanez to bring more bite and steel to Tottenham‘s backline. He will undoubtedly increase competition for places within Spurs boss Angelos Postecoglou’s squad.
At 24, Ibanez has his best years ahead of him which makes him a decent choice for the North London club to consider during the summer transfer window. However, there are some question marks over whether he would be able to adapt to the physical nature and high intensity of Premier League football.
Still, the pros outweigh the cons of signing a defender of Ibanez’s skillset. Therefore, Spurs should think about going all out to snap Ibanez up before the start of the new campaign.
