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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Giuseppe Muro

Ange Postecoglou: Why Cristian Romero's injury ‘doesn’t change’ Tottenham’s transfer plans

Ange Postecoglou has said Cristian Romero’s hamstring injury “doesn’t change anything” about Tottenham’s plans for the January transfer window.

Spurs have been deal a fresh injury blow after Romero was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

They are already without his centre-back partner Micky van de Van, though the Dutchman is closing in on a return after his own hamstring injury.

Spurs have made a new centre-back a priority in January but Postecoglou insists the injury to Romero does not impact their transfer plans.

“No, it doesn’t change anything,” he said.

“Disappointing to lose him, for sure. We obviously missed him with the suspension and now, we’d just got him back and kind of steadied things up and obviously we have him missing again for quite a chunk of time.

“But it doesn’t change really… you can’t accelerate time, mate. It’s still December. January 1 stays January 1 irrespective of our situation. The plans and the planning is still in the same shape.”

Spurs are interested in Nice for centre-half Jean-Clair Todibo but he is admired by a host of other top clubs.

Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo and Bournemouth's Lloud Kelly are cheaper, homegrown options.

Genoa's Radu Dragusin is a target but is reportedly set to extend his contract in Italy.

Postecoglou said: “The perception on the outside originally was that a left-sided centre-back might come in, is the idea now that it could be right-sided one or someone who can play in both roles?

“I don't put as much stock into the left-sided or right-sided centre-back scenario, we just need another player in that position who can provide some more depth for us and the ability to change it up.

“It won't matter if it is left-sided or right-sided, it is more the profile and characteristics. We didn't go looking for a left-sided centre-back at the start of the year, it just happened that Micky was the perfect centre-back.

“Even if we had another left-sided one, I still would have signed him. It is about looking at the right profile, the right characteristics and seeing what is available, then going from there.”

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