The postponement of Euro 2020 looks set to benefit some Tottenham players and prove to be a disappointment for others.
With the spread of the coranavirus disrupting domestic seasons across Europe, UEFA had no choice but to move back their showpiece international tournament. If domestic leagues are able to conclude their seasons, then it looks like they will have to do so over the summer months, while UEFA themselves have aspirations of finishing the Champions League and Europa League before the start of next season.
Instead of taking place over this summer, UEFA Euro 2020 will now take place in 2021. This is a huge change, as international managers generally look for their teams to peak every two years.
The disruption could prove costly to some Spurs players hoping to play at the European Championship and beneficial to others. Let’s start by looking at five Tottenham stars for who could benefit from a delayed Euros.
Harry Kane
Kane’s injury at the start of the year meant that he would have had little time to recover and get himself match fit before captaining England at Euro 2020. England have taken half-fit players to tournaments in the past and it will be a benefit to everyone if Kane is in peak condition for the European Championships.
Tanguy Ndombele
Ndombele’s fitness issues have meant that he’s not even become a regular at Spurs in his first season at the club. This has seen him excluded from the France squad, but now he has a second chance to play at the Euros, whether that’s by securing a first-team place at Tottenham, or securing a rumoured move to Barcelona.
Eric Dier
With Dier’s contract due to expire in 2021, he looks like a player that might leave the club in the summer. Dier looks finished as a defensive midfielder and whether it’s at Spurs or another club, must look to re-establish himself in his original position of centre-back, which is a role in which England lack reliable options.
Oliver Skipp
With Dier no longer England’s defensive midfielder, it opens a window for a successor to emerge. The player hoping to take on Dier’s mantle for both club and country is Skipp, who had been utilised by Jose Mourinho before the season was concluded and is an England U21 international. Skipp now has an extra year to become a Tottenham regular and break into the full England squad.
Gedson Fernandes
In a similar position to Skipp is Gedson. The Portuguese midfielder won his two caps for his country back in 2018 and with competition fierce for a place in the squad of the European Championship holders, Gedson looked like he would have little chance of being named. Now he has a year to force his way in.
And here are five Tottenham players that won’t benefit from the Euro being put back to 2021.
Hugo Lloris
The World Cup winner is still first choice for both club and country, but he will be 34 by the time of Euro 2021. That is the sort of age where both Spurs and France will be looking towards potential successors.
Moussa Sissoko
If Lloris still has a decent chance of being France’s number one goalkeeper by 2021, it looks a tougher job for Moussa Sissoko to hold on to his midfield role. France have a number of quality options in midfield, most of whom are younger than Sissoko, who will be 31 when Euro 2021 takes place.
Jan Vertonghen
Euro 2020 looked likely to be Jan Vertonghen’s last international tournament. Now pushed back a year, he might struggle to even make Belgium’s squad. Vertonghen has been poor for Tottenham this season and will be 34-years old by the summer of 2021.
Toby Alderweireld
Vertonghen’s Belgian teammate Alderweireld will be 32 when Euro 2021 takes place and should make the squad. Yet with a generation of fine Belgian defenders having grown old together, Euro 2020 was thought to be the last chance for the ‘Golden Generation’ to win something. Will they still be strong enough in 2021?
Dele Alli
There are two ways to look at Alli’s situation with England. The positive spin is that his form this season made him a doubt to be named in Gareth Southgate’s squad this summer and he now had a year to improve. However, England have a number of inexperienced attacking midfielders such as Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and James Maddison. Come Euro 2021, the competition could be tough for Alli
