Toby Alderweireld was asked after Tottenham’s draw with Stoke – where they surrendered a two-goal lead – what made his Southampton defence so solid last season.
The Saints conceded just 33 goals, with the Belgian at its heart, and the Tottenham stopper explained Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama played a massive part, though this was no criticism of Spurs’ current midfield.
But it did leave a few fans talking about needing a defensive midfielder, so here, talkSPORT looks at five players likely to improve that area of the pitch.
Click the yellow arrow above, right, to see the candidates.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Victor Wanyama: Midfield steel to protect the defence? Click the arrow above, right, to see more defensive midfielders for Tottenham – Do Tottenham need a defensive midfielder to protect the back line and help to stop shipping goals? Spurs centre-back Toby Alderweireld explained his Southampton defence was solid last season because the likes of Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin pressed the opposition constantly and made sure attackers did not have the time to put the ball in area. He also pointed out that Spurs, against Stoke, did this until the Potters scored, but then slacked off and ultimately allowed a two-goal lead to slip. Alderweireld didn't criticise the Spurs midfielders, but talkSPORT is looking at more experienced players who can perhaps maintain that work-rate for 90 minutes. Wanyama should certainly be considered.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Sven Bender: Experienced midfielder to lead Spurs' young team? Click the arrow above, right, to see more defensive midfielders for Tottenham – Bender is a man who has been linked with Tottenham for a while. The Dortmund and Germany midfielder has great vision and his natural defensive style means he is in his element protecting the back four. However, injuries have been a problem for the 26-year-old.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Maxime Gonalons: Midfielder to follow Njie and Lloris to London? – The 26-year-old Gonalons has been with Lyon since 2009 and over the years has been linked with moves to Arsenal and Napoli. He has yet to leave and signed a contract extension in 2014, keeping him at the French club until 2018, but maybe Hugo Lloris can have a word with his former team-mate.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Adrien Rabiot: PSG's tough midfielder to look for first team action in the Premier League? – The PSG midfielder has been strongly linked with a transfer to Tottenham for a couple of seasons and was rumoured to be on the brink of joining on loan in January. The 20-year-old struggles to get first team action in Paris and his agent, who is also his mum, claimed she has asked for a transfer. If he can't play at PSG, his choice would be to go to the Premier League, Veronique Rabiot said.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Asier Illarramendi: Long shot, but would certainly be a welcome addition at White Hart Lane – With the arrival of Mateo Kovacic at Real Madrid, competition for places in the middle of the park at the Bernabeu is fierce. Illarramendi, often compared to his idol Xabi Alonso, has been tipped to leave and has been linked with a move to Liverpool. He has a reputation as a tough midfielder and a strong tackler, while his profile on the Real Madrid website claims his vision is fantastic and his passing pinpoint.
