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Khumalo Could Join Town This Week Monday, 15th Jul 2013 09:30
Trialist Bongani Khumalo could join the Blues on loan this week, according to reports in the South African media. The 26-year-old Tottenham central defender spent last week training at Playford Road and played in the friendly at Crawley.
The South African international subsequently took part in a behind-closed-doors training game with Town on Friday before returning to Spurs. However, Khumalo is reportedly hopeful that a loan switch could be confirmed this week.
Khumalo played for Arcadia Shepherds, University of Pretoria and Supersport United in his home country before joining Tottenham in January 2011 for £1.7 million, signing a deal until the summer of 2015.
However, he has failed to make a senior appearance for the North Londoners and has since been sent on loan to Preston, Reading and Greek side PAOK, where he spent last season.
The Swaziland-born 6ft 2in tall defender has won 34 international caps and has scored one goal, which came in South Africa’s 2-1 victory over France at the 2010 World Cup they hosted. He has captained his national side and was their skipper at the African Nations Cup earlier this year but has not been in a squad since then.
Town are very much in need of centre-halves with Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith currently the only senior central defenders in Mick McCarthy's squad.
Former Southampton man Dan Seaborne has also been in trial with the Blues and played in the friendlies at Shelbourne and Crawley.
Photo: Action Images
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Generally speaking, would prefer permanent signs to loans, but reality is every Championship club will need to suppliment their squads with one or two loanees. This guy looks decent, but would think he has been guaranteed games. Chambers at right-back?
You have to think that maybe he doesn't fit in the long term plans for Spurs otherwise he wouldn't have been loaned out so much and is not presumably going to be in their named squad for this year. Could be available permantly after a year ?
If Spurs paid nearly £2m for him then he can't be no mug. As a loan player he'd be worth a gamble. I know Chambers can play right-back but it would be idiotic to break up a working partnership like his and Smith's.
Bongani Khumalo if we get him on loan first make for the season, as he will not be sitting on the bench he is far to good a player for that, but Chambers could well be the backup player, and Chambers at right back oh no not a chance of that!! just not quick enough
Who said full backs are quick? Look at Edwards up the pitch and out of position all the time. Like the idea of this use of the loan market. Two loans max in my opinion. Seems quality cover but hey, if he breaks into the team then great.
@scottrock What we didn't see against a relatively small Crawley team was how he performs when challenged by someone like Murph but I assume he did ok in training or Mick wouldn't be going for him. I was tempted to say he was really good in the air but as yet we don't know. Seaborne made much less of an impression on me at Crawley but hardtop judge on 45 mins against a league one side who were also giving a run out to many of their younger players.
Steward27 I say full backs must be quick! all the best full backs are quick, they have to be because they are marking quick wide players and they also have to get up and down the pitch for 90 mins,it's basic stuff, and Edwards was never a full back
At the end of this season he will still have a year left on his Spurs contract, but presumably if he has not stepped up to prem level by then he will be available at a fairly low price. It depends if Mick likes the look of him. We will have had a season to assess.
Can't get in the Spurs side so may be looking to move on. Having him on loan makes good sense, if he turns out OK offer him a deal, if not, send him back.
Personally I don't mind if he takes the place of either Smith or Chambers because if he does it means he is playing better than them and we should always be looking to improve the team not settling for what we have.
Bergholt - We should always look to improve..... long term.
I would rather see Smith / Chambers play than have a loanee who is sligtly better playing in their place. You have to think of the detrimental impact when the loan player goes back to his parent club.
I'm sure Klug with his Spurs connections knows all about him. He seems a MM kind of player; big, athletic & good in the air. people on here talking about not replacing Smith or Chambers are deluded! You MUST have 3 rotating first choice CB capable of playing with eachother. All the top teams do it; Utd with Rio, Vidic, Smalling, Chelsea with Luiz, Terry & Cahill, & City with Lescott, Kompany & well.. They need a new CB but you get my point
Having loan players who are only here for a few weeks is a problem, but i think a season long loan allows stability with the squad. We need two more centre backs really, so to have either Khumalo or Seaborne challenging Smith and Chambers for a first team place, plus hopefully a younger centre back for the future would be ideal in my opinion.