Tottenham Must Remain Cautious over Potential Transfer of Vlad Chiriches

Speculation that Tottenham Hotspur defender Vlad Chiriches might be transferred to Roma has persisted since last summer.

The Mirror's Darren Lewis and Mail Online's David Kent reported interest from the Serie A club back in July. In November, the London Evening Standard's Tom Collomosse suggested Juventus had joined the Giallorossi in keeping tabs on the Romania international.

Now with the January transfer window approaching, Il Tempo, via Football Italia, believes a loan move for Chiriches with the option of a permanent transfer is set to be completed.

Yet, unless a deal has already been agreed, Tottenham would be better served holding back on this potential transfer. Since a substitute appearance as a right-back in November's 2-1 win over Hull City, Chiriches has reiterated his usefulness as part of the Spurs squad.

The defender grew into the following week's defeat of Everton. Over 70 minutes, he combined with Aaron Lennon to restrict the left-sided threat of Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The trip to Chelsea a few days later saw Chiriches retain his place. That game proved a more difficult night for the makeshift full-back, and he was subsequently replaced by the fit again Kyle Walker.

With Walker back and more recognisable right-backs in Eric Dier and, particularly, Kyle Naughton also available, it appeared unlikely Chiriches would see more action in the position. Deputising for Federico Fazio and Jan Vertonghen in his regular centre-back spot seemed more likely. Indeed, he was selected there for Spurs' Europa League Group C decider with Besiktas.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino obviously saw something he liked in Chiriches out wide, though, because he got the nod for the Capital One Cup quarter-final against Newcastle United. Quietly impressive in that victory, when the boss decided to make a change for the Manchester United game on Sunday, it was Chiriches who came in for Walker.

It turned out to be arguably the Romanian's best performance of the season (perhaps his best game since the last time Spurs played United back in in January).

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After the 0-0 draw, Pochettino said the decision was made to give the England international a rest. Sound logic, given he is still finding his way back to full fitness after his lengthy layoff during 2014. Still, off the back of a poor performance in the Boxing Day win over Leicester City, you do wonder if it was done to keep Walker on his toes.

Repeatedly caught ball-watching, he allowed Leonardo Ulloa and others in the Foxes attack to get the jump on him more than once. In comparison, Chiriches' alertness saved Tottenham against United on a couple of occasions. He came inside to cover for his team-mates, something Walker did not do well a few days earlier.

This writer did not advocate the change before the match, and to suggest Chiriches was faultless against the Red Devils would be inaccurate. Ashley Young had the better of their first-half duels out on the flank. The left winger used the space afforded to him by the Spurs defender to deliver several dangerous crosses.

Chiriches did do better after the interval, though, and eventually benefited from United slowing down their attacking efforts.

Altogether, it was a good shift from the 25-year-old. Walker may well be back in the team for the Chelsea game on New Year's Day, but Chiriches' Sunday outing underlined the point of having squad depth.

Unsteady at centre-back earlier in the season, others were used ahead of him as a result. Out of the team for well over a month, he then got a chance to contribute elsewhere and has seized it to an extent.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

The impending arrival of DeAndre Yedlin could mean Chiriches isn't needed there if the American settles quickly. But injuries or bad form in defence could necessitate his selection down the line. Spurs' shortage of defenders at points after Christmas last year shows the swiftness with which a club can quickly become shorthanded.

For the club's decision-makers to rob themselves of that option mid-season is unnecessarily risky.

Hot and cold since his summer 2013 arrival in north London, Chriches' long-term future might be elsewhere. For now, though, there have been enough hints of quality that the prospect of him fully finding his feet at the club should not yet be dismissed.

If nothing else, he could still prove useful this season. Should Tottenham decide to move him on this summer, a full international like Chiriches would attract interest regardless of his form.

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