Former Tottenham striker Darren Bent believes Spurs will tie down promising defender Japhet Tanganga to a new six-year contract.
It was reported last week that the 20-year-old was in advanced talks to extend his time in north London past the end of the season when his current contract expires.
Tanganga has been showered with praise since his Premier League introduction earlier in the season and the England U20 international has 11 first-team appearances to his name.
He is one of the very few examples of young players that manager Jose Mourinho has given an opportunity over his managerial career, as his attitude when it comes to youngsters has been questioned over the years.
Speaking to Football Insider, Bent believes that Tottenham are good at getting players to commit and feels that Tanganga will be no different.
What Deal Should Tanganga Get?
3 Years
4 Years
5 Years
6 Years
“Spurs are quite good at it”, he said, “when it comes to tying people down to long-term contracts, they’ve always been very, very good at it and quite shrewd.
“When they get young players coming through or they sign a youngster from another club, it’s always the six-year contract, so it’s always the five plus one.
“I think the one might even be in their favour. I’d have signed the same deal when I went there, it was five years plus the one.”
Bent went on to say that it would not surprise him if Tanganga would agree to a similar deal and described him as an “exciting prospect“.
His words are echoed by former Premier League player Noel Whelan, who also believes that Tanganga has earned himself a pay rise.
Bent, and Whelan, are both spot on. If ever there was a time to bring through defenders for the future, now is that time. With Jan Vertonghen set to leave the club in the summer, and Toby Alderweireld at the age of 31, this leaves an open door for a fresh-faced youngster to shake up the first-team dressing room.
I believe Tanganga has the ability to do that. Whether Mourinho will keep playing him is another matter altogether.