Spurs sign best central cornerback since King, and it’s not Van de Ven or Romero

Manager Thomas Frank has changed the dynamic at Tottenham Hotspur and, after a tough start to the season for the Londoners, perhaps signs of success are beginning to emerge.

European contention was back in the game as Spurs had only won one game in eight games before Frank took on his former club Brentford and won the spoils. There’s still a lot of ground to cover this season, but a loss to the Bees at home would certainly have made things difficult.

Tottenham’s attacking play was notable, with their total xG of 2.18 against Brentford being their highest in the Premier League since the season opener with a 3-0 win against Burnley.

But what about defense? This season, Tottenham’s rearguard has not been as compact and well-trained as expected when Frank took over. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, both elite centre-backs, can do more.

Spurs’ defensive performance under Thomas Frank

Frank watched on as Tottenham conceded 15 goals in five Premier League games, failing to win any of them, before sending off his protégé Keith Andrews.

At times, Spurs were in a terrible position at the back of the table. A perfect example of this was some of the defensive action we saw against Fulham just over a week ago.

What are the roots of this struggle? Structural problem? Are there still stains from the unstable Ange Postecoglou era?

The important thing is that many of Tottenham’s goals this term have been avoidable, but isn’t that all?

Tottenham have displayed an improved defence, but Romero, Van de Ven and others will need to work harder to match Spurs’ most disciplined defense of the modern era. Think Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Consider Ledley King.

For now, Frank will have to make do with what he has, but come next season the North London club’s next version of King could find himself rising to the first team.

New version of Spurs’ Ledley King

King was a pretty good defender. He rivaled Harry Kane for the title of Tottenham’s best academy graduate of the past 30 years, breaking into the first team in 1999 and completing his career at White Hart Lane.

Harry Redknapp once hailed King as an “absolute freak”, extremely powerful and tenacious in the defensive third.

The former England international was astute and possessed a rare ability to time things perfectly, with his defensive skill set running on a precise in-house stopwatch.

It’s certainly difficult for new prospects to emerge and imitate the club’s icons, but Luka Vuskoic could be the perfect addition to the ENIC group.

Tottenham signed Vusković in 2023, transferring him to Bundesliga side Hamburger SV on a one-year loan deal. The 18-year-old has flourished in Germany and has shown he has the talent to match someone like King in the future, and perhaps even possess a more robust and promising skillset than someone like Van de Ven.

Van de Ven can score goals, but so can Vuskovic. This teenage talent has shown a certain penchant for the spectacle in Germany this year.

According to FBref, Vusković has an unusual profile, ranking in the top 3% of central defenders in the Bundesliga this season for goals scored, top 9% for chances created and top 1% for aerial duel success rate of 90%. He has what it takes to be a superstar.

Although the Premier League is considered by many to be the toughest league in the world, it is interesting to note that Vuskovic is arguably playing more deftly than Spurs’ athletic centre-backs, which bodes well for his future in London.

The fact that Van de Ven has won less than half of his Premier League matches this season shows he needs to do more to stop the rampant corruption.

However, such corruption is in its early stages and can be addressed. Frank has options for the remainder of his term, but adding Vuskovic to the mix could inject a King-like presence to take the project to the next level.

Anirst Ben Mattinson described him as an “extraordinary athlete” and an “extraordinary talent” with a “frightening ceiling”, thus highlighting the resonance between him and King.

It remains to be seen whether the Croatian talent will be able to adapt to life in the Premier League, but the signs are positive. He could eventually overtake Van de Ven and Romero, two top stars, to become a centre-half with similar talent to players like King.