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“Now playing like Van Dijk what a LOSS to Spurs”- Tottenham will always REGRET losing ‘MONSTROUS’ Star now playing like Van Dijk. A free Transfer loss
Tottenham Hotspur has faced numerous challenges this season, but injuries have undeniably been the biggest issue. Specifically, injuries to key defenders have been particularly impactful.
While the absence of striker Dominic Solanke, for example, has been less than ideal, Spurs have still managed to score the second-most goals in the Premier League.
However, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero sidelined for nearly the entire campaign, manager Ange Postecoglou has had to rely on a makeshift defense, including 18-year-old Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, and recently, Kevin Danso.
This defensive crisis has clearly affected Spurs both domestically and in Europe.
It’s possible that Daniel Levy and the club’s management may regret parting ways with a seasoned centre-back in January—one who has drawn comparisons to Virgil Van Dijk and Gabriel Magalhães.
Spurs’ January 2024 Departures
During Postecoglou’s first winter window at Spurs, several players left the club, including former captain Hugo Lloris.
The World Cup-winning goalkeeper made 447 appearances for Tottenham over 11 and a half years, but on January 31, 2024, he transferred to LAFC on a free transfer.
Since his move to Major League Soccer, Lloris has made 50 appearances and helped win the US Open Cup, with LAFC defeating Kansas City 3-1 in extra time.
Another former Tottenham player, Japhet Tanganga, has had a more mixed experience since leaving the club.
After joining Millwall on a short-term loan on January 18, 2024, Tanganga made 18 appearances, scoring twice.
He then made the move permanent in the summer, and this season, he has played 34 times, again finding the net twice.
However, his performance in the FA Cup against Crystal Palace was disastrous, as he scored an own goal and deflected the ball into Daniel Munoz for a Palace strike.
The Defender Compared to Van Dijk and Gabriel
Among the players who left in January, one former Spurs defender stands out in terms of experience and has also earned comparisons to Virgil Van Dijk and Gabriel Magalhães.
After nine years at Tottenham, Eric Dier finally departed last winter, joining Bayern Munich on a short-term loan that was later extended through the current season, meaning he didn’t return to North London.
While Dier was no longer considered one of the Premier League’s top defenders by the time he left, under Bayern’s Thomas Tuchel last season, and even under Vincent Kompany this year, the 31-year-old has shown he still has value at a top club.
The “monstrous” defender, as described by journalist Dan Kilpatrick, has made 35 appearances for Bayern Munich and looks set to play a significant role in their squad, which is poised to reclaim the Bundesliga title from Bayer Leverkusen.
The comparisons to Van Dijk and Gabriel stem from data analysis by FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League over the last 365 days.
The analysis identified the Brazilian Gabriel as the sixth-most similar centre-back to Dier in last season’s Champions League, with Van Dijk ranked seventh overall in the same period.
While it’s not suggesting that Dier is quite on the same level as Gabriel or Van Dijk, the fact that he’s being compared to such elite defenders indicates that he has regained his form since moving to Bayern.
Given the extent of Tottenham’s injury problems this season, it’s easy to imagine Postecoglou might regret not having Dier in his defense right now.
