Meet Sporting Lisbon’s English defender Spurs are poised to sign
Published:While all around them sign heavy-hitters like Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez, Tottenham are busying themselves filling holes in their squad and signing for the future.
Bringing in Ben Davies to play at left back is far from a numbskull move by the Lilywhites, but while top-four competitors continue to spend £30m or more on stellar names Tottenham fans are always likely to feel a little envious.
In that respect their latest move, for Sporting CP youngster Eric Dier, may not satisfy their hunger, but that doesn’t mean the transfer isn’t a good one.
At 20-years-old, the Cheltenham-born defender has been exposed to a different footballing upbringing having moved to Portugal with his family at the age of 10.
Snapped up by Sporting’s academy soon after touching down, Dier has been exposed to English football already having been loaned to Everton in 2011.
Although he didn’t make a senior appearance, Dier’s exposure to the physicality of the game in this country will have dovetailed nicely with his development as a continental-style centre back, something he admits to in the below interview for BBC’s Football Focus last year.
According to the player, Tottenham will be signing themselves a defender in the mould of Rio Ferdinand should the reported £4m deal for Dier go through, a comparison that will surely get fans of the 7/2 top-four challengers excited for the future.
Able to play as a defensive midfielder as well as in the backline, Dier broke into the Sporting first team during the 2012/13 campaign and has since made 26 senior appearances for the Portuguese giants, scoring one goal.
A regular in the English international youth teams too, with five caps at U21 level, Dier is clearly a prospect Spurs should be pleased to landing, if he’s not quite the big-name they’re clamouring for.
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