Only starting the odd game here and there under Antonio Conte at Tottenham in the league, it’s fair to say that Japhet Tanganga could be playing more at 22 years of age.
The centre-back, who can also play down the right of the defence, has only started in three Premier League games since the Italian took over from Nuno Espirito Santo, which has led to Milan taking an interest in his services.
The Serie A side are trying to find a player who can come in and help fill the gap left by Simon Kjaer’s serious injury, and the task has been far from easy.
First targeting Sven Botman, the Italians were turned away by Lille, while other names have been floated without ever sticking for more than a few days.
Tanganga appears to be the latest serious consideration from Paolo Maldini, and Gazzetta dello Sport describe the profile wanted in Milan: ‘under 25 to be loaned, who can offer new solutions to Stefano Pioli without, however, casting a shadow on the young defenders already in the squad’.
That’s where the Tottenham man comes in, and, because of the profile sought, ‘the survey carried out’ with Spurs ‘should be read’.
However, ‘the first response from England was negative’, meaning we will now have to wait and see ‘if the Rossoneri come back’ for more.
On paper, though, Tanganga ‘has what it takes to meet the requirements’ Milan are looking for, as ‘betting on a talent that is still “immature” would allow Pioli to gain an extra element in defence, all the while keeping intact the internal balance of the squad’.
In short, if the Spurs player were to move to the Serie A side in January, ‘he would be the first to know he had to make his way while respecting the already existing hierarchies’.
They just now need to convince Daniel Levy, Fabio Paratici and Conte that letting him go is in everyone’s best interests…
