Scouting Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Target Emanuel Mammana

The January transfer window has been unusually quiet for Tottenham Hotspur. 

Andros Townsend's sale to Newcastle United is the only first-team move so far. 

Much has been made of Spurs' apparent striker shortage, but the lack of movement in that department appears to indicate a lack of concern among the coaching staff. 

Spurs have been linked with Juventus striker Alvaro Morata by TalkSport and misfiring Atletico Madrid forward Jackson Martinez in Marca (via the Evening Standard). A more realistic approach for Toulouse's Wissam Ben Yedder was reported by the Independent, while there is also the apparently ongoing pursuit of West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino, detailed by MailOnline.

Ebbsfleet United striker Shilow Tracey has seemingly joined the club, but the 17-year-old is unlikely to be involved with the first team. 

Surprisingly, it is the other end of the pitch that concerns the most concrete of January transfer talk. 

Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has been routinely linked with Spurs in recent seasons, and Bleacher Report's Jason Pettigrove opined in Metro that Spurs should reignite their interest in the player.

While targeting a strong, experienced defender schooled in the same sort of football Spurs prefer does make sense, it is unlikely the club would match Bartra's wage demands or guarantee the regular first-team football that would be required to convince him to move. 

Long-term Tottenham target Emanuel Mammana is a far more likely option. 

First linked with a move to Spurs last year by the Mirror, Mammana is an Argentinian central defender who celebrates his 20th birthday in February. 

At 6'0" and a slender 11 stone, the young defender is not a particularly impressive physical specimen. 

However, his pedigree as a home-grown River Plate star and Argentina international make him worthy of a closer look.

Arsenal and Fiorentina are also chasing Mammana, while Atletico Madrid have also previously been linked. 

Tuttosport (h/t the Express) suggested a fee of £7.5 million would be required to bring Mammana across the Atlantic. Sky Sport Italia (via Football Italia) said Fiorentina are only willing to offer around £5.3 million. 

Contracted until 2019, River can be confident in their ability to retain the player if their valuation is not met.

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

Mammana made his debut for Argentina in mid-2014, substituted on for fellow River alumnus Javier Mascherano in the centre of the Albiceleste back three. 

That international cap came before he had made a single senior appearance for River. Certainly that remarkable achievement is indicative of the huge potential of this young defender. 

Established internationals Martin Demichelis and Ezequiel Garay were unavailable for that fixture, so then-manager Alejandro Sabella drafted in the highly rated youngster. 

River Plate possess one of the most prodigious football factories in South America. Mammana can count legendary Argentinian footballer Daniel Passarella as a fellow graduate, and Spurs' Erik Lamela also played briefly for River. 

As is the case with many young defenders, Mammana began his professional career as a full-back but has graduated to a regular starting role at the heart of River's defence. 

Mammana is a hugely confident, almost reckless player. Despite his youth and inexperience, or perhaps because of them, there is no caution in his game. He constantly seeks opportunities to attack the ball, never opting to play off the back foot. 

Interceptions and clearances are a big part of his game, and he plays a vital role in River's system, regularly playing the first pass as they build out of defence. 

Given his proclivities toward aggression and his physical style of defending, Mammana would be well-suited to English football. 

Comparisons with the ostracised Federico Fazio should give pause for thought. 

While incomparable physically—the Spurs defender is five inches taller than Mammana—the Argentinian pair do have similarly proactive defensive styles.

In Spain, Fazio was a renowned and feared central defender. Harder and more aggressive than most, he was able to dominate opponents physically.

The Premier League is simply a faster and more aggressive league. That fact has proved the undoing of Fazio at Spurs and would challenge Mammana. 

The key point of difference is Mammana has experience both at full-back and in midfield and reads the game far better than his compatriot.

The fact Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is a former Argentina international defender is likely to work for Spurs' pursuit of Mammana. More favourable still is his record of willingly handing young players their chance in the first team. 

Tottenham's central-defensive pairing of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen will be difficult to break up, but Mammana is evidently not lacking in confidence. 

Pochettino's centre-backs are key to his attack. They receive possession from Hugo Lloris and immediately look to pass or carry the ball past the first opposition player.

When Spurs are at their best, this facilitates rapid attacks and immediately removes defenders from consideration.

Vertonghen excels with the ball at his feet, while Alderweireld is particularly adept at long passes. The balance between the Belgians makes Tottenham unpredictable and dangerous. 

Mammana would fit into this system easily, but his eagerness to take risks does provoke unhappy memories of Vlad Chiriches.

As a right-sided defender, Mammana would theoretically replace Alderweireld in the lineup, and that is where the attraction of this transfer begins to break down. 

Playing between Vertonghen and Kyle Walker, Alderweireld's composure and caution are as significant as the other qualities he brings.

Walker and Vertonghen both have a tendency to dive into challenges and aggressively pursue the ball. 

A different player, Alderweireld complements the players either side of him, and they are collectively more than the sum of their parts. 

Ross Setford/Associated Press

Mammana is too similar to Vertonghen and Walker and his success cannot be considered certain.

To Tottenham, Mammana simply isn't worth the money River are asking. 

Central defence is an area of long-term concern for Pochettino. The Belgian duo are as good of a partnership that exists across the Premier League but, as Vertonghen's recent knee injury proved, cannot be expected to play all 38 games.

Kevin Wimmer is a fine understudy but he is predominantly left-sided, has little experience in English football and has yet to be truly tested. 

Youth-team star Cameron Carter-Vickers may flourish if handed a first-team chance by Pochettino, but there is no certainty in that plan.

Were Tottenham to persist with their reported pursuit of Mammana and eventually acquire him, he would face a difficult battle for regular football.

While the fee River are demanding is likely well within Spurs' budget and Mammana is an impressive young player, this doesn't seem like the right move for either party.