Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice have reportedly made an enquiry about the potential availability of Tottenham outcast Davinson Sanchez, who has fallen down Antonio Conte’s pecking order.
According to a report from Daily Mail, Ligue 1 outfit Nice are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez. But the 26-year-old is not keen on leaving the north London club this month.
The Colombian international has been with Tottenham for more than half a decade now, having arrived in the summer of 2017 for a then club record £42 million from Ajax. His first season in England brought instant success as the then 21-year-old excelled alongside Jan Vertonghen and delivered some big performances in the UEFA Champions League.
However, his Spurs career has gone downhill since the 2020-21 season and has largely been underwhelming as he has failed to fulfill his potential and struggled to hold down a regular starting spot at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent years.
There has always been a feeling amongst the Tottenham fanbase that the Colombian powerhouse had all the tools to be a top defender, particularly his pace and recovery ability. But issues with lapses in concentration ensured the 26-year-old became a scapegoat at times for the frustrated fans and has more often than not come in for criticism from media pundits as well.
Still, he has been a good servant to the North London outfit, having made almost 200 competitive appearances. In fact, the 26-year-old endured somewhat of a revival last season, where he enjoyed a good spell in the first team following the arrival of Antonio Conte, coupled with the injury to star defender Cristian Romero.
However, he has fallen down the pecking order at Tottenham and has not been a regular starter this season. So, it makes sense for him to leave in search of regular first-team action. AC Milan were reportedly hot on his heels last summer. And it looks like Ligue 1 outfit Nice are willing to provide him with an exit route and a chance to revive his career.
Nice, owned by English billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has already raided the Premier League for periphery or out-of-date talent, with familiar names such as Kasper Schmeichel, Ross Barkley, Morgan Schneiderlin, Joe Bryan, Aaron Ramsey, and Nicolas Pepe all joining the club last summer and plying their trade for Les Aiglons.
That approach clearly has not gone according to plan, with the club languishing in mid-table in Ligue 1. But they look to keep that trend in this window too, having made an approach for Sanchez, who has only 18 months left on his current deal.
However, Sanchez wants to stay at Tottenham and fight for his place during the second half of the campaign. Furthermore, Conte may also view Sanchez as one worth keeping around unless the club brings in another central defensive reinforcement. The Italian tactician is not keen on weakening his squad depth ahead of a crucial stage in the campaign.
It will be interesting to see whether the French outfit can convince the 26-year-old centre-back to change his stance and lure him to the southeastern coast of France this winter. Meanwhile, Sanchez is not the only Tottenham defender linked with a Ligue 1 move, with Lyon interested in Djed Spence.
