If Tottenham part company with Kieran Tripper this summer, they’ll need a tried-and-tested replacement at right-back. Duncan Castles said on the Transfer Window Podcast that Spurs have been in contact with Dani Alves.
The 36-year-old was recently released by Paris Saint-Germain and is available on a free transfer, but Tottenham’s interest in the Brazilian international is surprising.
Alves is a fantastic player who impressed at Juventus and PSG, but he wouldn’t be too cheap to sign despite being unattached. The defender earned £7.54m-a-year/£145k-per-week in France and would likely require a signing-on-fee before joining a new club too.
Tottenham would have to pay more than £7m to sign Alves for just one campaign. Daniel Levy would never sanction such a short-term move as Spurs would still be forced to find a new right-back in 2020. The 36-year-old may not be able to cope with a full Premier League season either.
Alves made 23 Ligue 1 appearances for PSG in 2018/19, but he only played a full 90 minutes on 12 occasions (52%) – substituted on (4) substituted off (7). His playing time was managed in France and would have to be managed in England, so Mauricio Pochettino would need a backup that can frequently deputise.
The Brazilian defender would improve the Tottenham squad, but signing him doesn’t make economic sense.