Including the back end of last season, Tottenham Hotspur have managed just one clean sheet in six Premier League matches. It therefore may not come as a surprise to see Jose Mourinho strengthening his defence in the market this summer.
He’s already added Matt Doherty and Sergio Reguilon to the Spurs back line, however, reports suggest that Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar could be the third new defender to arrive at the club in the coming weeks.
It seems as though both Spurs and Inter have already held talks over a potential transfer, yet, both seem some way apart in terms of valuations. The Milan based outfit want around €60million (£54.9m) for the 25-year-old, but it’s thought that Spurs value Skriniar at a little bit less. Either way, it’s clear to see why the club are keen on bringing the 25-year-old in.
Firstly, he has played 2800-plus league minutes in each season since arriving at the San Siro, illustrating his ability to stay fit and available for almost the entirety of a campaign.
He also stands at an imposing 6ft 2in and would provide Spurs with an obvious physical presence, especially when defending set pieces which has been somewhat of an Achilles heel for Mourinho's team in recent times.
His basic defensive numbers from last season were steady if unremarkable, winning 57% of his defensive duels and 61% of his aerial duels across all competitions.
Those numbers of course consider direct duels and don’t take into account the good defensive work not easily quantified in numbers, things such as reading danger and shepherding attackers away from goal. These are both areas that Skriniar seems to excel in for Inter.
Whilst we know that a defender's role is first and foremost to defend, it’s Skriniar’s capacity with the ball at his feet that will also make him such an appealing prospect for Mourinho. The below radar highlights just how impressive his passing numbers are when compared to other central defenders from across Europe’s top five leagues.
He excels in terms of playing not only accurate passes, but also penetrating passes through the lines towards attackers inside the final third.
Possessing defenders comfortable and imposing in possession is key for any top side in the modern game, especially since the amended goal kick rule came in, enticing more keepers to play the ball short from goal kicks. Should a deal be struck for Skrinar, then this is an area of Tottenham’s game that he can definitely aid them in.
Overall then, in Skrinar, Spurs would be buying both a solid defender and capable ball player, both assets that would make him a welcome addition to Mourhino’s artillery for the season ahead.
