Tottenham Hotspur Express Interest In La Liga Defender: A Move They Need To Make? | OneFootball

According to Spanish news outlet IDEAL, Tottenham are monitoring Domingos Duarte. The Granada centre-back has emerged as a potential target for the North London giants as they look to sign a new central defender during the final stretch of the transfer window. Nuno Espirito Santo favours Duarte highly due to his success at Granada, with Spurs weighing up a reported bid of around €10 million.

Who Is Domingos Duarte?

Formerly of Sporting CP youth academy, Domingos Duarte was a late bloomer in some respect, as he hadn’t secured promotion to the senior side until 2018, at the age of 23. The defender, though, has enjoyed a swift rise to prominence since, especially after his €3 million move to Granada in 2019.

After arriving at the club, Duarte instantly became a key component in the defensive unit, making a total of 36 league appearances during the 2019/20 campaign. He also made 29 appearances last season, helping Granada finish the league campaign at the top half of the table.

Standing at 1.92m, Duarte’s imposing presence at the back has made him a sought-after prospect in the Spanish market. He is indeed a rigid defender, who possesses a lot of work ethic and leadership qualities.

In addition to his commanding presence at the back, Duarte’s height gives him a considerable advantage in aerial duels as well, making him an indirect threat from set-pieces. The 26-year-old isn’t particularly bad with the ball either, though his strength certainly lies in his physique and long legs that allow him to get rid of any kind of danger coming his way.

Portugal – Azerbaijan Domingos Duarte of Portugal controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2022 Qatar qualifying match between Portugal and Azerbaijan on March 24, 2021 in Turin, Italy. Torino Allianz Stadium Italy Copyright: xMarcoxCanonierox

How Does He Fit In At Tottenham?

Tottenham Hotspur have had a busy transfer window so far, having notably brought in Cristian Romero from Atalanta. The further addition of another centre-back may seem unnecessary given the fact that they already have multiple options including Joe Rodon, Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga.

However, a closer inspection of the squad does suggest that it could be a necessary move. Dier and Sanchez, in particular, have struggled with consistency in the past while Rodon simply doesn’t have the experience just yet. As for Tanganga, he is likely to be transformed into a right-back by Nuno Espirito Santo this season.

The addition of Domingos Duarte, in that regard, could go a long way in adding further steel in Spurs’ defensive unit. The Portuguese centre-back can compete with the likes of Dier and Sanchez for a place in the first team.

Perhaps more importantly, his presence in the side will allow Nuno to experiment with his tried and tested three-man backline, rather than the traditional 4-2-3-1 he has implemented in these early stages of the campaign.