Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney has torn into Tottenham’s winter business, branding their signings as money down the drain – including early fan favourite Kevin Danso.
Tottenham’s January dealings were far from smooth. The Lilywhites had to wait until the final moments of the window to secure their targets. Spurs landed Kevin Danso on loan from RC Lens with an obligation to buy in the summer.
The Austrian centre-back has since featured four times for Spurs, conceding four goals and keeping just one clean sheet.
Alongside Danso, Spurs also added highly-rated young forward Mathys Tel to bolster their attack and 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. These moves were seen as necessary additions for squad depth, but not everyone is impressed.
Troy Deeney does not hold back in his assessment of Spurs signing Kevin Danso
Troy Deeney, now a pundit, has delivered a scathing verdict on Tottenham’s winter signings, particularly Danso. Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Watford striker did not mince his words.
“None of the players that they have brought in have hit the ground running,” Deeney said. “Again, Spurs fans are going to go mad, but this is the harsh truth. The centre-half, Danso, was going to go to Wolves. That’s it, enough said.
“He was at Southampton when I was running past him, and I cannot run past f*** all. You’ve wasted money. [Radu] Dragusin, £25million on Dragusin. That’s £50m on two centre-halves who are f****** s***.
“You have got to look at recruitment. Again, the two centre-halves I am on about, you are going to be mad at me, but it is the truth. I have watched enough football to know this Premier League is not for you.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive reality
Danso and Dragusin may not be the world-class additions some fans hoped for, but labelling them outright failures is a stretch.
Both defenders were signed as depth options rather than immediate starters. Tottenham’s first-choice centre-backs remain Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, with Danso and Dragusin providing necessary cover.
The fact that Spurs still pursued Marc Guéhi in January is proof that these signings were never seen as the long-term first-choice solutions.
For a club looking to compete across multiple fronts, having reliable backup defenders is crucial. Danso has done an impressive and steady job when called upon, so labelling him a waste of money is so unfair.
Whether he and Dragusin can truly thrive at Spurs remains to be seen, but dismissing them entirely after just a handful of appearances is premature.