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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Kyle Walker-Peters faces a defining season at Tottenham Hotspur.
The right-back has appeared on the verge of a first-team breakthrough for at least two seasons now and 2019/20 could be the time for him to finally come to the fore.
The 22-year-old has, thus far, made a total of 19 appearances for Spurs. Ten of those came in 2018/19, including one at the Camp Nou, as Mauricio Pochettino’s men looked to get a result against Barcelona to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.
Walker-Peters made the mistake that led to Ousmane Dembele’s opener and was substituted; Spurs went on to take a point with Lucas Moura scoring the important goal.
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Yet the talent is evident. In one Premier League game against AFC Bournemouth, Walker-Peters laid on three assists. Fellow right-back Kieran Trippier laid on three all season; his deputy, Serge Aurier, registered just two.
Walker-Peters also manages a higher pass completion rate than the pair; 83% to Aurier’s 75.5% and Trippier’s 78.9%.
Now, it remains to be seen if both players will be at Spurs next season. Both the England international and the Ivory Coast star are said to be expendable this summer, per Duncan Castles of the Transfer Window Podcast.
It speaks to how poor a season they both had that the club are willing to let both leave, as the right-back position became a major weak point for the Lilywhites at times last term.
And one has to assume that, if they depart, a new right-back will arrive.
But what can be the harm in giving Walker-Peters the chance to grab the mantle?
He is a quick, technically sound defender who has repeatedly shown that he can create chances for his team-mates and beat his man in the final third.
He is a young player, yes, but Pochettino has always shown a willingness to place his faith in youth; the likes of Juan Foyth, Harry Winks and Dele Alli have all benefitted immensely from his tactics.
Now is the time to throw Walker-Peters into the deep end.
If he swims, Spurs win and so does the player, as he nails down the spot as the club’s first-choice right-back.
If he sinks, the club will either have their current options or a new replacement, and Walker-Peters can go back to where he is now – the bench.