Hutton: ‘Mourinho knows’ he has to offload ‘exposed’ Dier at Tottenham

Tottenham must replace Eric Dier as a centre-back if they have any ambition of pushing up the Premier League table.

That is according to former Spurs full-back Alan Hutton who, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested Jose Mourinho did not know what to do with the 27-year-old.

The versatile enforcer has been used solely as a centre-back this season but has failed to nail down a starting role in the Premier League.

He has been an unused substitute for four successive league games and has started just three times in nine matches.

However, Dier has featured regularly in the Europa League and played the full 120 minutes in Thursday’s 3-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.

Hutton admitted he is still unconvinced by Dier’s capabilities as a centre-back and suggested he needed replacing with a “quality” defender.

Hutton told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge: “He was Mourinho’s go-to man since he came in, really. I do think he gets exposed at times with a lack of pace.

“There’s always that hanging over his head – is he a central-defender or is he a holding midfielder? It’s one of those where I’m not quite sure where his best position is, to be honest.

“I just look at where do Tottenham want to be? Do they want to be challenging near the top of the league? If so, they need two quality centre-halves to build on, to be that solid block to then move forward.

“I think Mourinho knows this by the amount of times he chops and changes his centre-half partnership. It doesn’t look like he knows his best at the moment.” 

Dier has played 31 times across all competitions for Spurs this season.

He missed just one of the Lilywhites’ opening 19 league games but has fallen down the pecking order since.

In other news, Danny Rose has knocked back an offer of a contract pay-off by Tottenham.