Tottenham Hotspur’s need for a new centre-half is clear.
Both Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen will be leaving the club as free agents next summer as things currently stand.
Certainly the former appears set to depart, while there have been whispers Vertonghen could yet agree an extension.
But even if that happens the north Londoners need to buy a long-term prospect in one of the next two windows.
Perhaps an ideal candidate would be Nico Elvedi of Borussia Monchengladbach, who has been in outstanding form this season.
Gladbach currently top the Bundesliga by four points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich in third, and boast the best defensive record in the division after 11 games.
TBR’s view – Elvedi would be brilliant pick-up by Spurs
Tottenham have been linked with Matthias Ginter (Bild) and Denis Zakaria (Bild) already this year, but Elvedi is the Gladbach star they really need.
The Switzerland international has been with the club since 2015 and is really beginning to shine as a result of the regular game time he has gotten since joining.
The 23-year-old is a brilliant ball-player, as evidenced by his 92.5% pass success rate for club and country so far this season (WhoScored).
Elvedi is also physically strong. He is a good height for a centre-half (6ft 2in) and is also strong in terms of his positioning.
He’s been Gladbach’s rock at the back this season, and Mauricio Pochettino could do a lot worse than to monitor him ahead of the coming transfer windows.
He isn’t on a particularly lengthy contract, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2021, suggesting his potential transfer wouldn’t break the bank.