BBC pundit and former Tottenham defender Alan Hutton believes one of manager Ange Postecoglou‘s “reliable” players could actually join a top European side soon.
Hojbjerg and Dier expected to leave Spurs
Despite being mainstays under former Spurs boss Antonio Conte, both Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are now facing very uncertain futures.
Dier’s contract is set to expire in 2024 and there are no signs that the Englishman will be offered a renewal any time soon. The centre-back has only just come back into Postecoglou’s starting eleven, playing their last two matches after Micky van de Ven’s serious hamstring injury and Cristian Romero’s suspension.
Dier’s lack of pace isn’t suited to Postecoglou’s high defensive line, and when Tottenham’s favoured centre-back pairing return, it is likely he will be relegated to the bench again.
Hojbjerg, meanwhile, has been repeatedly linked with a move to Europe following his lack of starting opportunities under Postecoglou this season. The Denmark star has recently come back into the fold amid Spurs’ current injury crisis, but is still reportedly keen to leave Tottenham for pastures new in January.
Dier is a particularly curious case, as reports in the last week have suggested that European giants Bayern Munich, the new home of Spurs legend Harry Kane, are eyeing a “shock” move for the 29-year-old.
Hutton thinks Dier could join Bayern
Other claims state that the former Sporting Lisbon star would be interested in making that move (Football Insider), with Hutton thinking Dier to Bayern is a real possibility.
The former Scotland international cites Dier’s ability as an astute, ball-playing centre-back for the transfer to be realistic – with Hutton suggesting his playing style would suit manager Thomas Tuchel down to the ground.
“If I’m totally honest, I think Tottenham will want to bring someone else in,” said Hutton on Dier to Football Insider.
“With van de Ven and Romero there, who have you got there that’s going to come in? There’s a lot of players that have been there for a number of years now and it’s not quite worked out. Dier’s been there for nine years now and you would think his Tottenham career is now over considering the last few weeks.
“Would he fancy it? Probably. You’re going to a team there where you’re probably going to win more often than not. He’d have a lot of the ball, he’s good with his feet and he can play out from the back so it’s probably something that he’ll think about.
“Ultimately I think it’s time for him to move on to something different. Obviously, Ange Postecoglou will want to bring in his own signings.”
Depsite his current form, Dier has been a faithful servant for Spurs since signing from Sporting all those years ago, with Conte calling him a “reliable” player.
“What I can tell you is that Eric has improved a lot since I arrived. We are talking about a reliable player, 100 per cent focused in every game. He is not a player who alternates with a big performance then a drop.”