Having been forced into playing James Ward-Prowse in unfamiliar territories on the right-hand side of the defence in the past two fixtures, Ralph Hasenhuttl can now call upon two natural options at right-back.
Yan Valery had not played a single minute of football in the New Year until he lined up for Southampton’s Under-23s last week. Following time on the sidelines, as a consequence of what has been cited as a viral infection, he’s ready for action.
Perhaps more intriguingly, still, Kyle Walker-Peters could be set to take to the pitch and make his Southampton debut.
Twitter: Back to work! Looking forward to the weekend now
#SaintsFC https://t.co/Hz682NXpz3 (@KWPeters)
The youngster was signed from Tottenham Hotspur on a short-term loan deal at the end of the January transfer window, and he could be handed his St Mary’s bow when Burnley come to town this weekend.
It seems unlikely that Walker-Peters would have been pursued throughout last month only to occupy the role as Valery’s deputy between now and the end of the season. So, what can we expect to see from the 22-year-old following his arrival at Southampton?
The story so far
Following impressive showings for Tottenham’s strong Under-23 outfits in recent years, Walker-Peters had been rewarded with sporadic opportunities in the first team.
He featured regularly at youth level for the England national team, appearing for the Under-18s, Under-19s, Under-20s, and most recently, the Under-21s.
Mauricio Pochettino warmed to the defender, particularly in his first two terms on the senior stage. He made nine appearances during the 2017/18 campaign and then one more in the subsequent season. One notable appearance in the latter came as Spurs swatted Bournemouth aside with a 5-0 trouncing, in which Walker-Peters contributed with three assists.
In the midst of Kieran Trippier’s departure to Atletico Madrid in the summer, coupled with Serge Aurier’s erratic form, the 22-year-old was widely expected to stake a claim for a regular spot in the team. Pochettino started him in each of the three opening Premer League games at the beginning of the campaign, only for a hamstring injury to hinder his progress.
Walker-Peters then saw his involvement for Spurs become severely restricted; he participated in their embarrassing Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Colchester United and flattered to deceive as Bayern Munich defeated Jose Mourinho’s makeshift line-up in a meaningless Champions League group stage game.
What are his strengths?
Walker-Peters possesses characteristics that make categorise him as a quintessential modern-day full-back.
He is technically proficient, adept at helping his side build attacks from deep areas of the pitch and favours bursting forward beyond the midfield line to support combinations in the final third.
Walker-Peters finds space well on the right and was often instructed to provide width to a narrow shape under Pochettino at Spurs. Similarities could, therefore, be drawn to the system in which he will operate under Hasenhuttl at Southampton, with the Austrian’s preferred 4–2–2–2 setup in mind.
The defender makes intelligent decisions in possession and plays on the front foot. Walker-Peters, standing at five foot and eight inches, is not especially gifted when it comes to the physical nature of the game, but he is agile and has a good turn of pace.
What are his weaknesses?
Walker-Peters struggled to nail down a place in the Spurs side not just because of injuries and more established senior heads in front of him, but also because his quality in the defensive phases came into question a little too often.
The right-back is by no means a bad defender — he has measured up to the likes of Raheem Sterling, for example, well in recent months — but his main strengths lie in his ability with the ball at his feet. Hasenhuttl often stresses the importance of his full-backs being competent in one-on-one duels, and this is an aspect of Walker-Peters’ development that he will hope to nurture.
Hasenhuttl alluded to as much in typically candid fashion when he discussed the signing:
He’s good for Southampton because he’s young, quick and technically good. I think this hard disk has a lot of space to put something on, so I think he can learn a lot.
Positionally, the 22-year-old has been caught out from time to time, but such can be expected of a young player who has been prevented from enjoying a sustained run in the starting line-up on the Premier League stage.
Teething problems shouldn’t be a cause for concern for a player who has amassed less than 1,000 minutes of senior football in the Premier League and Champions League, and patience will be necessary.
Who does this deal really benefit?
On paper, the signing of Walker-Peters seems like a good deal for Southampton. In light of Arsenal’s swoop for Cedric Soares and the fitness worries surrounding Valery, signing a new right-back, even on a temporary basis, was a must.
Walker-Peters arrives and provides depth. Saints now have two young players vying for one position and this is competition is healthy.
He has played in a similar, but certainly not identical, system to that of the Saints boss’, following some years in the less demanding pressing model of Pochettino at Spurs. This could ensure that the period of adjustment is not too prolonged for the defender at St Mary’s; a necessarily quick process given that he is only set to be around until June.
Therein lies the argument that Spurs get the better end of the deal than Saints do, though. With no option nor obligation to buy Walker-Peters on the table for Southampton, Tottenham and Daniel Levy hold all the cards.
If the 22-year-old fails to impress during the loan, Spurs still have a promising full-back with Premier League and Champions League experience who they can loan out, and in effect, try to put in the shop window once again. If Walker-Peters does flourish, however, the North London outfit are in a good position to demand a sizable transfer fee should a permanent move be pursued by other parties; he would be a 23-year-old, English right-back who has proven his worth at a high level. Straight away, you’re looking at perhaps a £20 million price tag, which equals Southampton’s most-expensive ever buy…
Twitter: Delighted to be joining @southamptonfc on loan, can’t wait to get started! #SaintsFC https://t.co/3wEaluDsB6 (@KWPeters)
For the player himself, it is a huge opportunity. He has long desired a chance at regular Premier League football and he is likely to receive exactly that under a patient, progressive manager whose reputation has been built upon his willingness to play young players and encourage a fearless approach on the pitch.
It seems like everyone wins here. But if Walker-Peters excels, don’t expect Spurs chairman Levy to do Southampton any favours by asking for a reasonable sum for the youngster come the summer transfer window.
