Four points from a possible six counts as a good return to Premier League action for Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester United and West Ham.
Jose Mourinho’s side may have felt slightly aggrieved to have not made that six with United equalising late on through a Bruno Fernandes penalty.
Nevertheless, four points keeps Spurs within touching distance of the Champions League places with only a handful of games to play. If Mourinho wants any chance of succeeding in Europe’s elite competition next season, though, the Portuguese manager could do well to address a recurring issue at right-back.
Serge Aurier has improved this season but a severe imbalance in Spurs’ overall setup often sees other areas of the pitch having to cater for his defensive fragilities.
With that in mind, we’ve outlined three options to solve Mourinho’s right-back conundrum.
Max Aarons (Norwich City)
The 20-year-old has been a shining light in an otherwise struggling Norwich side this season under Daniel Farke.
Despite still being a young prospect, Aarons has shown a number of signs that he could become the well-rounded full-back that Spurs may be looking for this summer.
Data provider Wyscout credits Aarons with 4.51 dribbles per 90 minutes which shows him to be an impressive ball-carrier and one that is willing to progress the ball further up the pitch when needed.
His defensive numbers rank similarly to Aurier’s with 6.91 defensive duels per 90 minutes but the fact that he remains a talent that can be developed shows why Aarons might be an option worth considering.
Sergino Dest (Ajax)
Dest has been another name linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent months and he would be a similar signing to Aarons given that he is just 19 years old.
The Ajax right-back has enjoyed a successful season with the Dutch side in the Eredivisie and registered four assists in the process.
In a dominant Ajax team, Dest’s defensive abilities may not have been tested to the fullest extent yet but he remains a fascinating prospect and one that Mourinho has reportedly been interested in.
Like Aarons, the 19-year-old has proven his attacking qualities this season and working under Mourinho could help him develop his defensive attributes too.
Nordi Mukiele (RB Leipzig)
Mukiele ranks as the most defensively proven option on this list with experience at right-back, wing-back and centre-back as well.
7.23 defensive duels per 90 minutes shows how he is regularly involved from a defensive perspective and that could strengthen Mourinho’s case for signing him.
The 22-year-old’s Expected Assists (xA) of 0.06 this season illustrates that he would bring a much more conservative skillset to the right-back role at Spurs.
Mourinho could be likely to move for a full-back like Mukiele who provides far more defensive security than Aurier who likes to get forward frequently.
