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Should Tottenham target 'fantastic' Brentford defender who can replace key Ange Postecoglou first XI star – Opinion

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Jainil Shah | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 9:41 AM ET

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for a number of Brentford stars since Thomas Frank took charge of the North Londoners earlier this month, and the latest to be subject to discussions about a move to N17 is Rico Henry.

With Daniel Levy taking out his chequebook and sanctioning signings to back his new head coach, there are wide opportunities for the Lilywhites to consider, and if I am talking about links with a move for Bees players per se, there have already been established links with a move for the likes of Bryan Mbuemo and Nathan Collins alongside a rehash of links with Christian Norgaard. But Rico Henry is one of those silent players who has the capacity to make a large impact at Tottenham if Daniel Levy decides to tag him along to Hotspur Way alongside Thomas Frank.

At the moment, the current leading left back at N17 is Destiny Udogie, and he brings a great attacking intent whenever he plays, but the thing is that often enough we find him struggling defensively, especially when it comes to 1v1 duels and positional recovery when the team shifts to a mid-block. And this is where the Lilywhites need a player that blends offensive support with a solid defence that Thomas Frank wants to integrate at Tottenham.

And in Henry, Frank gets someone who he trusts, given that he had standout performances under the Dane at Brentford. The 27-year-old is a tactically disciplined player who is ready to defend deep and wide and, moreover, is quite comfortable in both high and low blocks.

Now Martin Allen described Henry as somebody who is “fantastic”, and his form post his injuries makes him an intriguing prospect to consider at Tottenham.

Let’s speak a bit tactically about Rico Henry

If I am thinking of Rico Henry, the first thing that comes to my mind is reliability, given the strong positional sense that he boasts, and then come his strengths in 1v1 sequences. The thing is, when I directly compare him to Destiny Udogie, he does offer a more stable presence.

And while he has had his fair share of concerns about injuries, Henry has proven that he can overlap and deliver quality when it comes to final-third actions, but the thing is that here the actual value in the game will always be hidden when you compare it with the former Udinese fullback within the ranks at Hotspur Way and his more flamboyant style.

And then Henry is also more versatile given how he fits in both a 4-3-3 as a conventional left-back and in a 3-4-2-1 as the left wing-back when the Lilywhites switch shapes (very much like how Thomas Frank shuffled his formation at Brentford).

Strengths

The first thing is that Henry knows what Thomas Frank expects out of the position, and this could help him seamlessly fit into the roster at Tottenham. Moreover, he is defensively quite solid and has that tactical discipline about him that the Lilywhites lack in their defensive roster at the moment. He will end up solving a structural weakness that the team has right now, which was a part of why the Lilywhites shipped in a lot of goals last season.

Weaknesses

Given how he has had multiple massive injuries, you need to have a very concentrated medical take place for him to understand the risks involved with securing his signatures.

While in signing Henry, Tottenham do get someone who is more tactically disciplined, but the thing is that this also means that the club will end up losing a bit when it comes to offensive sequences when I directly compare that to how Udogie operates. Andy speaking about Udogie: having Henry also means that the club will lose a burst of pace that the former Udinese star brings to the table.

Author Opinion

Tottenham do need a solid and positionally disciplined left-back who has the capacity to organise the backline under Thomas Frank, and this is what Rico Henry is precisely good at despite his recent injuries. As we saw, the fact that he is familiar with Thomas Frank’s system, complemented by his intelligence when it comes to defending, means that he is a more solid option than Udogie in a variety of formats.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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