Why Benfica defender Ferro would be a brilliant signing for Tottenham
Jose Mourinho was appointed as the new Tottenham manager on Wednesday following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday evening. And as per Telegraph, Mourinho, though, has one primary concern about the squad he has inherited.
The Portuguese tactician believes the defence is in some serious need of investment (h/t the Telegraph). The pillars of Tottenham’s defence face uncertain futures in North London, something Mourinho aims to resolve in the near future.
The Lilywhites have conceded 17 goals in 12 games and sit 14th on the table. Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen – two pillars of Tottenham’s backline, have both struggled throughout this season, with the duo often looking out of sorts.
Davinson Sanchez has been off-form since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, while Juan Foyth still cannot be relied upon in central defence. Meanwhile, Spurs have failed to replace Kieran Trippier, with Serge Aurier being their current first-choice right-back despite a series of calamitous performances.
That makes it a no-brainer for Mourinho to solve the defensive conundrum in January.
Back in March, the Mirror had claimed that Tottenham were one of the Premier League clubs who had scouted Benfica defender Ferro against Dinamo Zagreb in a Europa League clash. Interestingly, he had scored a fantastic long-range strike for Benfica in extra-time.
Ferro, 22, enjoyed his breakthrough at Benfica last season, making 13 appearances in Liga Nos. He also made four Europa League appearances, scoring a goal. The 22-year-old has hit the ground running in the new campaign, making 13 appearances in all competitions so far.
With the Portuguese defender impressing at Benfica, Spurs would be wise to rekindle their interest in him during the winter transfer window.
A ball-playing centre-back, Ferro has averaged a pass success rate of 85.5% in the league. He has made 0.1 key passes, 0.1 crosses and 5.6 long balls. In nine appearances so far, the Portuguese has averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 2.8 clearances and 0.1 blocks. [Courtesy: WhoScored.com]
Read More Tottenham News
- Why Tottenham should go all out to sign Mariano Diaz in January
- Why Memphis Depay to Tottenham Hotspur would be a perfect move
- Why Bruno Fernandes would be an ideal Eriksen replacement
Going by those stats, the 22-year-old is a composed passer of the ball, a tenacious tackler and has made crucial interceptions for his team. A rock-solid defender who has his best years ahead of him, Ferro has the technical abilities and the physicality to thrive in the Premier League.
Verdict
A January move to Tottenham would give Ferro the time to settle in the Premier League. Under an astute tactician like Mourinho who is known for developing defenders, the Portuguese stopper could take his game to the next level.