Journalist Mitch Fretton believes "very smart" new Tottenham Hotspur signing Ashley Phillips could come as the "perfect" replacement for Wales international Joe Rodon.
Who have Spurs signed?
So far, new manager Ange Postecoglou has watched a quartet of new arrivals officially come through the door this summer, namely goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and Phillips.
The latter player is very highly-rated and could well work his way into becoming a top Spurs player for years to come, with Phillips putting pen to paper on a five-year deal.
He could also soon be joined by both Micky van de Ven of Wolfsburg and Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz, as reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has given his famous "here we go" to both moves.
Postecoglou, who has his eyes on two senior central defensive additions this summer, could yet add the likes of Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba before September 1.
Reliable outlets like The Evening Standard have backed this up most recently, but it will largely depend on outgoings, with Rodon being one of the Spurs players who have been told they can leave.
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"Signing two senior centre-backs this summer has not been ruled out by Spurs," wrote journalist Dan Kilpatrick in The Standard.
"Although they are still to offload the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon, who are among the squad players to be have been told they can find a new club."
Rodon spent the 2022/23 season on loan at French side Rennes, and it looks like he may well depart Tottenham after three years in north London. Former boss Jose Mourinho signed him from Swansea City in 2020.
Fretton, who writes for WhoScored and contributes as a member of the media team for Colchester United, believes Tottenham have a ready-made replacement for the Welshman in Phillips.
The journalist wrote on social media:
"Levy may have waited to save a few million quid, but Ashley Phillips is a very smart signing and a player with a high ceiling. The perfect Rodon replacement but hopefully he will be much better than what he was."
How good is Ashley Phillips?
The 18-year-old, after joining Blackburn from National League North side Curzon Ashton, quickly progressed through the club's youth academy – eventually managing 14 senior appearances for Rovers last term.
Former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, now in charge of Sunderland, once heaped praise on Phillips for his physicality and potential to be a world-class player.
“He’s an amazing footballer and he is going to be a mega footballer I’m pretty sure, but he’s a very young boy," exclaimed Mowbray in 2021.
“He’s a 6’3, 6’4 magnificent cut of a guy, fast as lightning, composed with the ball, aggressive. I think this football club have a footballer on their hands, and we have to manage his introduction into our team as best we can. I just brought him to give him some experience.”
The England Under-19 international comes with plenty of pedigree as an exciting youth player and supporters will be hoping he can evolve into a mainstay.
