Whilst the injury crisis at Tottenham Hotspur this season has derailed their European chances, it has allowed numerous players to stake their claim for a regular starting role.
Djed Spence is one player who’s forced himself into Ange Postecoglou’s plans, forcing himself into the starting eleven, starring with regular minutes in the first team after previously being left in the dark.
The full-back has made 15 appearances in the Premier League to date, even being nominated for February’s Player of the Month – an indication of how impressive he’s been in recent weeks.
It’s been a welcome surprise for the supporters, undoubtedly being the shining light in what has been a dismal period on the pitch, which has seen the Lilywhites drop to the bottom half of the table.
Such an emergence from Spence could potentially spell the end of one player’s time in North London, with Daniel Levy and Co potentially needing to offload the star in the summer should one side come knocking again.
Pedro Porro’s stats for Spurs in 2024/25
Right-back Pedro Porro has been a player who’s been inconsistent throughout 2024/25, struggling to live up to the expectations placed on him after his £39m move in 2023.
The Spaniard has been Postecoglou’s first choice on the right side of the backline but has failed to deliver in recent weeks – as seen in the draw against Bournemouth, misplacing his pass and being caught out of position for the opener.
However, despite his recent form, he’s previously been touted with a move to Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants previously interested in his services over the last couple of months.
The 25-year-old has been dribbled past 1.1 times per 90 in the Premier League this campaign, with his attacking nature often restricting him in defensive areas.
Given the emergence of Spence this season, the club could be tempted to cash in, potentially joining another player out of the exit door in North London.
Not just Porro:
After such a crisis, there’s no denying that additions are needed in the summer to prevent such a situation from happening again and offer the depth needed to boss Postecoglou.
However, if he is to make the additions he wants to improve the squad, he will need to offload multiple players, including Porro and midfielder Yves Bissouma.
The Malian joined Spurs back in the summer of 2022 from Brighton for £35m but has been an inconsistent figure in the side, often failing to deliver when called upon.
He’s been prone to a mistake, subsequently having to make fouls to prevent them being costly, as seen by his tally of six yellow cards – with his most recent coming in the draw against Bournemouth.
As a result, he’s struggled to nail down a regular starting role in the starting eleven, making just 13 league starts to date – with one analyst dubbing him “shambolic” due to his lack of quality at times.
Games played
21
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
89%
Fouls committed
1.6
Dribbled past
1.3
Duels won
51%
Yellow cards
6
Ange must look to sell him, with Bissouma currently halting the progress of midfielder Archie Gray, who joined the Lilywhites for £40m in the summer from Championship side Leeds United.
The 18-year-old has often featured in various defensive roles, covering multiple absentees due to the injury situation – doing an admirable job in the process, given it’s an unnatural role for the teenager.
With the returns of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven over the last few games, the Aussie now has the opportunity to hand him minutes in his preferred position and allow him to showcase his talents.
Gray deserves the chance to play at the heart of the side given his versatility at his tender age, having the potential to be a key player for the club for many years to come.
However, he’s been unable to do so with Bissouma somehow still receiving more minutes ahead of him despite his own lack of form in the middle of the park.
At 29, he’s coming into the back end of his career, with the club needing to cash in on his services in the summer to allow Gray to thrive with frequent opportunities.
It may seem a harsh call to sell him and Porro in the coming months, but ultimately, Ange needs to be ruthless if he is to turn around the current situation and lead the club to a long-awaited trophy.
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