Tottenham completes first signing

Tottenham Hotspur have finally completed the transfer of Estudiantes defender Juan Foyth on a five-year deal for around £8million, with his compatriot Mauricio Pochettino seemingly key in convincing him to join Spurs ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.


Last year was an important one for the young defender. At Estudiantes, he was promoted from the Under-18 squad to the reserves and regularly trained with the first team, while at international level, he was part of the sparring side that faced off against Argentina’s Olympic team in training matches. It was a year of growth that set him up well for 2017.

Strong performances at the South American Under-20 Championship earlier this year attracted the attention of European clubs and his debut for Estudiantes arrived soon afterwards. Many would have been fazed by such an event, but it didn’t take him long to settle. My legs were shaking a bit but only in the first half,  he recalled in a recent interview. By the second, I was comfortable.

That quote exemplifies the confidence of a 19-year-old who plays with the conviction of a seasoned professional. Both in possession and in his defensive work, he is rarely flustered. Foyth’s standout attribute is his use of the ball. He passes crisply out of defence and is content to invite a bit of pressure from opponents if doing so helps open up an angle for a forward pass. If there is space available in front of him, he is more than happy to carry the ball into it. This owes much to his history as an attacking midfielder; it was only at 16 that he was converted full-time into a central defender.