According to Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung, and as cited by Sport Witness, Tottenham have rejected Southampton’s £20million offer for the services of centre-back Kevin Wimmer.
The 24-year-old Austria international has largely been a squad player since arriving from FC Köln in the summer of 2015, making just 4 EPL appearances last term.
However, with regular playing time a ticket to make the Austrian squad to Russia 2018 World Cup should his country qualify, Wimmer is more than keen to move elsewhere in order to get more minutes.
The Saint Mary’s looks like a perfect place considering there has been a falling out between Southampton and Virgil van Dijk, but Spurs aren’t willing to let go.
And it probably has nothing to do with the fees. He was signed for just £4.3million, so making almost five times of that as profit is good business in in every sense of the word.
With no centre-back signing made yet, Tottenham would be left with only Cameron Carter-Vickers, 19, as the other first team center back on their bench if Wimmer leaves.
The fear of having no depth at the back is making Spurs hold on dearly to their man, but it remains to be seen how long they can if he chooses to force an exit.
From getting named as the seventh-best defender in the Bundesliga by football magazine Kicker, to becoming a mainstay on Tottenham’s bench isn’t exactly how Wimmer would have pictured his EPL career.
Chances are that he insists on leaving, and Tottenham are better off finding a replacement when there is still time to.
