Jose Mourinho sees Japhet Tanganga as a full-back for Tottenham Hotspur and is only likely to use the 21-year-old as a centre-back in the event of an emergency.
Tanganga is fit again after being dogged with back and thigh injuries since March, limiting him to just one appearance – in the EFL Cup – over the last eight months, and could be considered as a potential centre-back alternative in the wake of Toby Alderweireld’s injury.
Alderweireld is out for 2-4 weeks with a “muscular injury” sustained in the 2-0 victory over Manchester City last Saturday leaving Mourinho with Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and October arrival Joe Rodon as his only recognised central defenders.
Tanganga has played all across the back four during his time at Spurs and could also come into that conversation but, speaking ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League tie with Ludogorets, Mourinho confirmed where he wants him to play.
“For me he's a full-back. Can he play centre-back? Yes he can, of course he can, and he will if we need and we will need,” Mourinho said.
“He can play centre-back, but for me in the context of what high level football is and especially Premier League is, I see him more as a multi-functional defensive player but I see him more as a full-back.”
Tanganga is predominantly right-footed which makes him an obvious fit at right-back – assuming that is the “full-back” area Mourinho speaks of – where he’s in competition with Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier.
With two players in front of him on the right and Sergio Reguilon and Ben Davies on the left, Tanganga is likely to find minutes hard to come by this season.
But such is his flexibility across the back four, and the strong likelihood of injuries given the frequency of matches, while a January loan could make sense in his overall development, Mourinho may feel he’s too useful in a squad sense to let go.
