Goal are reporting that Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have reportedly agreed a deal for Sporting Lisbon and England Under-21 centre back Eric Dier. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of Thursday and will see the youngster signing on at White Hart Lane for five years, with the Portuguese giants not retaining a sell-on clause. The 20-year-old - who has been described as "the next Rio Ferdinand" - was born in Cheltenham, England, in 1994 but moved to Portugal as a 10-year-old a decade ago where he was recruited into Sporting's renowned academy system very swiftly. He signed his first professional contract with the Lisbon club back in 2010, after which he was loaned out to English Premier League side Everton for half a season the following January - although he did not make an appearance for the Toffees, the experience will have done him no end of good for his imminent move to Spurs. He has since made 30 first-team appearances for Sporting over the last two seasons. He is eligible for Portuguese citizenship, but has resisted approaches from the Portuguese football association to play for their national teams, and has been capped by England at every youth level from Under-18 upwards. With doubts over the long-term fitness of Younes Kaboul - who is also entering the final year of his contract - and the quality of Michael Dawson, as well as the futures of Vlad Chiriches and Jan Vertonghen - both of whom are being watched by big European clubs - reinforcements along the Spurs back line are necessary. Maurico Pochettino has already splashed out on Michel Vorm and Ben Davies and it would seem Dier is next on his wishlist - though the central defender is more one for the future. Do you think Eric Dier will be a good signing for Spurs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. And please feel free to follow me on Twitter!
