Breaking Down Reported Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Target Jannik Vestergaard

Tottenham Hotspur enter this summer's transfer market knowing that a handful of shrewd acquisitions could fortify their position among the Premier League's elite for the long term. 

There are no huge flaws in the young, flexible squad Mauricio Pochettino has assembled at White Hart Lane. 

Spurs finished 2015-16 with the equal-best defence and second-best attack in the division, so there would be no justification for major changes. 

However, with the almost certain offseason departure of the unfavoured Federico Fazio, Pochettino will need to sign another quality central defender. 

Kevin Wimmer proved an able understudy when he replaced Jan Vertonghen for several months, but Spurs possess no comparable replacement if the superb Toby Alderweireld requires time out of the team.

During the season, Pochettino occasionally used Eric Dier as an understudy, but Dier has made himself irreplaceable in his new role in midfield. A solution must be found elsewhere. 

Tottenham did repeatedly display an unnerving weakness in the air throughout the campaign, a flaw that cost them a significant number of points.

Alderweireld and Vertonghen form the best overall defensive partnership in England, but neither is dominant in aerial contests. 

Both stand 6'2". Certainly tall, but by no means does their stature give them a dominant advantage. 

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

West Bromwich Albion, Chelsea, Arsenal (twice) and Leicester City were among the teams that dominated Tottenham aerially and came away with points. 

By comparison to Spurs' Belgian duo, Leicester's Wes Morgan and Robert Huth formed an impenetrable aerial shield en route to the Foxes' title triumph. 

Spurs are far more of a footballing side than Leicester and cannot be expected to ape Claudio Ranieri's setup, but a dominant aerial presence would be a valuable weapon next season. 

According to Bild (h/t Sport Witness, via Here Is The City), Spurs have set their sights on Danish Werder Bremen defender Jannik Vestergaard.

Across Europe, few young defenders can match Vestergaard's physical attributes. 

A statuesque 6'6", the Werder Bremen centre-back even looks down on the soon-to-be ex-Tottenham defender Fazio (6'5"). 

Vestergaard's aerial prowess has seen him compared to German World Cup winner Per Mertesacker.

Much like Mertesacker, Vestergaard's major weakness is his lack of pace. 

Were Tottenham to pay the reported £11.7 million fee and bring him to England, Pochettino would need to tweak his defensive organisation in order to protect the Dane in counter-attacking situations. 

While Dier already drops in as an auxiliary defender when Tottenham push up, Vestergaard would require more consideration. 

According to WhoScored.com, Vestergaard twice played in midfield for Bremen this past season, so he is not entirely lacking in athleticism. 

The same site reported he averaged more than three interceptions per match, more than either Alderweireld (1.7) or Vertonghen (2.2).

Bremen had a rough Bundesliga season, conceding 65 goals in 34 games (a rate nearly double Spurs' 0.92 goals per game), but Vestergaard was one of their better players. 

The reported fee is likely to exceed Tottenham's valuation and could prove a decisive sticking point. 

Wimmer, also from Germany's top division, cost roughly £4 million a season ago. Chairman Daniel Levy paying nearly triple that fee for a reserve seems unlikely.

In recent seasons, Spurs have made a habit of signing long-term transfer targets, and their interest in Vestergaard goes back at least 12 months. Italian site TuttoMercatoWeb (via Here Is The City) reported as much in 2015. 

Joerg Sarbach/Associated Press

Tottenham could make great use of a player such as Vestergaard because of how he differs from their other options in defence. 

Like Alderweireld and Vertonghen, the 23-year-old is comfortable in possession and passes accurately, but his strength and stature would allow Pochettino to better tailor his approach to specific opposition. 

The Argentinian could put Vestergaard against even the most dominant opposition forwards and expect him to contend. 

He would also obviate the need to change the defensive system to deal with physically strong opponents like Andy Carroll.

It is unlikely Vestergaard could immediately displace Alderweireld, but like Wimmer, his youth would allow him time to settle in north London and show his quality over the longer term.