Journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that new Tottenham Hotspur signing Pedro Porro is ready to start this weekend – and that it would be “mad” to start Emerson Royal instead.
What’s the word?
It seems as though most of Spurs’ efforts in the winter market were spent on signing the Sporting Lisbon defender and they finally managed to land him on loan with an obligation to buy on deadline day.
However, with that deal happening so late in January, it remains to be seen just how ready he is to come into the starting XI this weekend after just a few training sessions with his new teammates.
What’s more, this Sunday’s Premier League game is against champions Manchester City. Even so, Gold has claimed that Porro is ready and should start ahead of Emerson.
Speaking on the Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham podcast, the Football.london reporter stated his expectation for the Spaniard to come straight into the side.
He said: “He’s absolutely fit. He’s playing every game for [Sporting]. His last game was on Saturday night, eight days before this [match].
“He’ll have had a big old chunk of the week to train with the team. I think it would be mad to play Emerson Royal.”
Decision time
Seeing as Spurs were so keen to land Porro – as well as letting Matt Doherty and Djed Spence leave in the winter market – it’s clear that they feel a need for change in the right wing-back position.
Emerson has been the more trusted player in that role, starting 13 Premier League games and four Champions League matches, but he’s failed to win over critics this season. In a recent game against Fulham, pundit Danny Murphy called his defending a “joke” (via HITC).
Porro, on the other hand, has impressed in Portugal with Lisbon. Indeed, while Emerson has one goal and one assist in all competitions to go alongside his inconsistent displays, the new signing has two goals and six assists in all competitions – showing that he’s perhaps likely to be more of a threat going forward.
With that in mind, if he is fit, you can certainly see why he might be put into the starting team against City right away.