Despite being a player well-liked by the Tottenham support, it appears that Sergio Reguilon is not as well-rated by the management. Antonio Conte gave the Spaniard some game time last year, and seemed to be enamoured by his energy and his fire. However, this summer has seen Tottenham linked with several left wing-backs – and a new name can be added to the list.
Villarreal’s Pervis Estupiñán is the next player to be added to the list of left-backs the team want to sign. With the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and Ben Davies also capable of playing left wing-back, it looks like Reguilon could soon find himself surplus to requirements. As such, the move for Estupiñán could take place sooner rather than later.
Reports in Spain suggest a fee of a minimum of £15m would be needed to get the Yellow Submarine to emerge for talks. Given the arrival of Ivan Perisic this summer, too, it means that Conte would have both a veteran and a younger player to build around. That would leave Reguilon the odd one out, and most likely sold by the end of the summer transfer window.
For some fans, this would be a shame. Even during the twilight of the Jose Mourinho era, Reguilon still looked like an impressive talent. His comical receipt of a massive piece of ham from Mourinho, too, was something else that marked him out as memorable. On the pitch, though, his consistency was a shining light in a team that looked totally different from week to week.
As it stands though, if Spurs can land Estpuinan they would be happy to move on from Reguilon. It would be a shame for the player, who has become a bit of a fan favourite in some quarters. For Spurs, though, they cannot allow romance to overrule the decisions needed this year.
Can Estupiñán fit the Conte style?
The Ecuadorian is, alongside compatriot Piero Hincapie, the kind of high-energy, aggressive talent that Spurs want to sign. Both fit the kind of profile that Spurs are aiming for in their signings, and it is believed that both could be attainable. In Estupiñán, they would be landing a player who is aggressive, forward-thinking, quick in the tackle, and capable of getting up and down the pitch all afternoon or evening.
He was a key part of the Villarreal side that won the UEFA Europa League and then got to the last four of the UEFA Champions League. His impressive form in Europe was also followed up with some great games in La Liga, meaning that his quality is never in question.
41 appearances and zero goals might not sound like a Conte player, but Estupiñán brings a lot to the team that Conte would like. At 24, too, he would be the ideal age for both playing now and improving in the future. If Spurs are looking to upgrade on Reguilon, then a South American wing-back with pedigree in Europe might not be the worst player profile to target.
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