Southampton have been linked with Tottenham Hotspur defender Kyle Walker-Peters, but it is a rumour that prompts more questions than answers.
Football Insider reports that Spurs are willing to let the 22-year-old leave on loan in the final days of the transfer window, with a temporary move to a Premier League club thought to be the preferred switch.
Saints, meanwhile, are stated to be pursuing a new right-back as they look to add to their squad before the deadline on Thursday evening.
Read Southampton’s verdict
The links with Walker-Peters are somewhat bizarre. It had been apparent that we would need a new right-back throughout the summer, with only Yan Valery expected to be available, but the return of Cedric Soares has made matters unclear.
Should the Portugal international secure a move elsewhere – likely to a European club, as most transfer windows don’t close until the end of the month – then it makes sense to recruit another player in this position. However, he has looked sharp in pre-season and would be a perfectly reasonable competitor for Valery.
Walker-Peters is a promising player, and with regular minutes in the Premier League, has the makings of an impressive full-back. However, he would hardly be guaranteed playing time here, and it would be an unnecessary short-term fix that juxtaposes the club’s renewed forward-thinking philosophy in the transfer market.
Plus, it would be peculiar from Tottenham to sanction the departure of another right-back following Kieran Trippier’s move to Atletico Madrid. Serge Aurier is hardly a dependable option, and this is a transfer that does not appear to make much sense for any party involved at the moment.
