The persistent struggle with player availability has become a defining theme at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the last two seasons. For a club with such high aspirations, the inability to keep a consistent starting eleven on the pitch has felt less like bad luck and more like a recurring nightmare.
Fans and analysts alike have pointed to this medical crisis as the primary reason why the team’s Premier League form has fluctuated so wildly. At one particularly low point this season, the squad was decimated to the point where thirteen first-team players were unavailable simultaneously due to a mix of long-term injuries, ill-timed suspensions, and a wave of illness.
This chaos was perhaps most evident during the club’s Champions League preparations against Borussia Dortmund, where the coaching staff was forced into tactical gymnastics just to field a competitive side.
To address this “glass ceiling” of physical fragility, the Tottenham hierarchy is reportedly shifting its recruitment strategy. The focus is no longer just on raw talent or tactical fit, but on a trait that has become a luxury in North London: durability.
According to the latest reports from Italy, specifically through Corriere dello Sport, Spurs have identified AS Roma’s Evan Ndicka as a primary solution to their defensive woes. The Ivory Coast international represents exactly what the club is missing a high-level performer who almost never misses a minute of action.
Ndicka’s profile is remarkably different from the current defensive crop at Tottenham. While the club’s existing center-backs, such as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Radu Dragusin, have all spent significant time on the treatment table recently, Ndicka has been a model of consistency.
This season alone, he has featured in all 35 matches for Roma, serving as an ever-present pillar in their backline. When you look at his entire professional history, the numbers are even more impressive.
Over the course of a career spanning several years in top-flight European football, he has missed a grand total of only fourteen matches. In an era where the physical demands of the game are higher than ever, that level of robustness is almost unheard of.
| Evan Ndicka: Injury & Absence History | Nature of Absence | Duration | Games Missed |
| Nov 2024 | Minor Fever | 4 days | 1 |
| Apr 2024 | Unspecified | 12 days | 2 |
| Oct 2023 | Foot Bruise | 4 days | 0 |
| Apr 2023 | Muscular | 19 days | 3 |
| Sep 2021 | Ligament Strain | 16 days | 2 |
| Dec 2020 | Minor Knock | 4 days | 1 |
| Sep 2020 | Ligament Injury | 37 days | 4 |
| Mar 2020 | Quarantine | 15 days | 0 |
| Mar 2019 | Adductor Pain | 4 days | 1 |
This isn’t the first time Tottenham has shown interest in the 25-year-old. During the winter window of 2025, when the squad was under the management of Ange Postecoglou, the club’s defensive ranks were essentially non-existent.
At that time, the board explored a move for Ndicka as an emergency measure, but a deal failed to materialize. Now, with the summer window approaching and the team looking to provide new manager Roberto De Zerbi with a more reliable foundation, the pursuit has been reignited.
The financial landscape in Rome might actually play into Tottenham’s hands. AS Roma is currently navigating the strict boundaries of Financial Fair Play (FFP) and needs to generate significant profit to balance their books.
Because Ndicka was originally signed as a free agent, any transfer fee received for him would count as pure profit. This makes him the most attractive asset for Roma to sell if they need a quick financial injection. Reports suggest that an offer in the region of €40 million, which translates to roughly £34.3 million, would be enough to bring the Italian club to the negotiating table.
However, the path to securing Ndicka’s signature will be anything but easy. Tottenham is not the only club that has noticed his impeccable injury record. Fellow Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool are also said to be monitoring the situation closely, as both clubs have dealt with their own defensive crises this year. Beyond England, European heavyweights like Bayern Munich have been linked with the player, while Turkish side Besiktas is also reportedly in the mix. The growing competition has caused a fair amount of anxiety in Rome, where fans are reluctant to see such a dependable player leave.
Even former Roma legends have weighed in on the situation. Antonio Zago, a man who knows exactly what it takes to defend in the Italian capital, recently suggested that the club should do everything possible to keep Ndicka.
He noted that while the defender is still young and developing, his reliability is a rare asset. However, Zago also admitted that if Roma decides to pivot toward a more veteran, “warrior-style” center-back, Ndicka might be the sacrificial lamb used to fund that transition.
For Tottenham, the decision feels like a “no-brainer.” The cost of a £34 million transfer is secondary to the cost of losing matches because the first-choice defense is unavailable. In a league as fast and physical as the Premier League, having a center-back who can handle a 50-game season without breaking down is worth his weight in gold.
De Zerbi’s high-intensity, possession-based style requires a backline that is comfortable on the ball and physically capable of sustaining high-speed recovery runs. Ndicka fits that mold perfectly.
As the season enters its final stretch and the “Doomsday scenario” of missing out on European football looms, the focus is firmly on the future. The recruitment team, led by Johan Lange, knows that they cannot afford another season of medical instability.
If they can beat out the likes of Liverpool and United to land Ndicka, it would represent a significant shift in the club’s philosophy. It would be a move away from the “gambles” of the past and toward a more pragmatic, data-driven approach to squad building. In the end, the best ability is availability, and Evan Ndicka has that in spades.
With only seven games left in the current campaign, the immediate goal remains survival and stability. But behind the scenes, the blueprints for next year are already being drawn.
If the board can deliver on their promises of backing the manager, a player like Ndicka could be the first brick in a much more resilient Tottenham wall. The fans have seen enough of the treatment room; they are ready to see a team that stays on the pitch and fights for the badge.
