Sold last year, now worth £18m: Spurs error on £27k-p/w gem will give Conte nightmares - opinion

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is often noted as a shrewd operator when it comes to transfers, although that’s not to say that the 60-year-old always gets it right with the club’s incoming and outgoings.

One scenario where the frugal businessman appears to have made what could be a costly error is with the sale of versatile defender Juan Foyth, the Argentine having gone on to impress since his £13m departure for Villarreal last summer.

The 24-year-old had spent four years on the books at Tottenham after being signed from Estudiantes by compatriot Mauricio Pochettino in 2017, although he was hardly given a look-in over the next few seasons, making just 16 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites in total.

A loan move to Spain ensued for the 2020/21 campaign after the 6 foot 2 gem had fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, before he was snapped up on a permanent deal by Unai Emery and co after impressing during that temporary stint.

This season has seen the £27k-per-week gem kick on again for the La Liga side, playing his part as the Yellow Submarine surged to the Champions League semi-finals, before crashing out at the hands of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

In Europe’s premier club competition, the La Plata native averaged a remarkable 3.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game from his ten outings, while also winning 1.9 of his aerial duels per match.

Comfortable at both right-back and in the centre of defence, Foyth also ranks in the top 3% for tackles made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, and in the top 13% for pressures made, illustrating his sheer desire to regain possession for his team.

Such an asset would no doubt have a place in Antonio Conte’s current