Igor Tudor has suggested that one senior Tottenham Hotspur man may have to continue playing out of position for the benefit of the team.
Tudor has walked into Tottenham at a time when nearly half the squad are out with injuries.
The new Spurs interim boss had just 13 senior players to choose from against Arsenal, which meant that he had to fit some square pegs in round holes.
Tottenham have been boosted by the return of Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro for the clash against Fulham, but the Croat has admitted that one player may still have to play out of position for the timebeing.
Igor Tudor hails Tottenham’s ‘big leader’ Joao Palhinha
The former Juventus boss admitted that he is a big fan of Joao Palhinha, speaking highly of the Portuguese star’s impact in the dressing room.
However, he conceded that the 30-year-old may have to continue playing in the backline rather than midfield for the time being.
When asked about the former Fulham man ahead of his side’s trip to Craven Cottage, Tudor said (via the club’s official website): “Big leader, important for the dressing room. All his skills, not just as a player, also as a human being. Yeah, he played there (centre-back), it is not his natural position, so it is something extra for the team in this particular moment, but I know that he’s best for that (position in midfield).
“But we put a line of four last game to protect other weaknesses we can maybe have in that moment, playing as a team, so you always need to do some adjustments. You believe in that moment that is best for the team, and someone in this particular moment needs to play in the role that he’s not the best position or best role.”
Palhinha’s Spurs future is now uncertain
Spurs signed the 30-year-old on loan from Bayern Munich last summer and have the option to sign Palhinha permanently for £22m this summer.
However, reports indicate that Tottenham are no longer guaranteed to purchase the midfielder permanently at the end of the season.
This is because Palhinha is thought to be a Thomas Frank signing, with the Dane’s exit thus causing uncertainty over the player’s future at N17.