Emerson set for unexpected new role at Tottenham after confirmation – pundit
Nuno Espirito Santo could push new signing Emerson Royal forward into an unexpected right-wing position for Tottenham.
So says ex-Premier League forward Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Spurs confirmed the capture of Emerson on 31 August.
This site revealed the previous day that Barcelona had accepted Spurs’ £25.7million bid for the right-back and he was set to undergo a medical.
Spurs recently agreed to the mutual termination of Serge Aurier’s contract but also have Matt Doherty and Japhet Tanganga on the books at right-back.
Tanganga has started the season strongly and Tottenham have, as revealed by Football Insider on 16 August, scrapped plans to send him out on loan.
And Whelan claims that Emerson could be pushed further up the pitch to accommodate the youngster.
“I’m not really surprised they have gone in for another right-back,” he told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge.
“Tanganga can play on the right of a back three as well as at full-back. You’ve got to have options, and they have competitions for places there now.
“They have still got Doherty who had a decent game against Portugal the other night as well.
“You could probably push Emerson further up the field if needs be. I don’t think he’d look out of position at right wing.
“Nuno Espirito Santos is building his own team and I think that’s vitally important. He needs to bring in his own players to improve the squad.
“They look really strong and it’s been an exciting start to the season. Right now, it’s a question of whether these new players can maintain that.
“If they can, they have got a hell of a chance of getting into the Champions League spots.”
In other news, pundit blasts Daniel Levy after Harry Kane goes public over Tottenham plan.