If Tottenham Signs Only 1 Player in January, It Should Be Patrice Evra

After a sensational summer in the transfer market, January should be a quieter time for signings at White Hart Lane, but one player who should be on the radar is Patrice Evra.

The Manchester United left-back will almost certainly leave Old Trafford if Leighton Baines is signed, with a rumored return to Monaco already being reported by Ian Herbert of The Independent.

But with more money available for Andre Villas-Boas to spend, a move for Evra could turn out to be the best move of all.

Each world-class signing has been well-documented, yet the loan of Benoit Assou-Ekotto to QPR was probably the strangest business of the window.

It has left Danny Rose as the first-choice left-back, with no real backup in place. Yes, Jan Vertonghen can play there, but it’s clear he is most effective at centre-back.

Rose has done remarkably well converting from midfield to the defence, but whether he has the complete game to be consistent and reliable at 23 is questionable.

With the squad that has now been assembled, Spurs should be aiming for a title. Despite Villas-Boas telling Sky Sports in August that his club is not yet a title contender, he cannot be satisfied with a fourth-place finish.

To climb higher in the table, they need a world-class left-back with experience and a winning mentality—attributes that Evra has in abundance.

At 32, Evra has led league appearances for United for four successive seasons, showing not just his durability but also his consistency.

Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul and Vertonghen himself have all had their respective injury problems in the past, which makes the addition of the French international even more advantageous.

He scored a career-best four goals last season, helping United to their 20th Premier League title (fifth for Evra).

Add to that five Charity Shields, three League Cups, one UEFA Champions League and a World Club Cup, and you have one of the most decorated players in the game.

But most importantly, he’s been there and done it. Winning has become a habit and that’s exactly what Spurs have lacked in the past.

Too many times, they have fallen short in the final few games of the season, losing their chance at Champions League football.

With a leader like Evra in the starting XI, the big games will not seem as daunting.

Spurs undoubtedly have a squad to rival anyone in the Premier League and the addition of Evra could be the final piece to the jigsaw.