Pedro Porro is now the FOURTH right back signed by Tottenham in four years after arriving for £42m

As Pedro Porro completed his move to Tottenham he became the fourth right back signed in less than four years since selling Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid.

Spurs banked £20million for Trippier in the summer of 2019, at a time when they also had Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters and boss Mauricio Pochettino was tinkering with Juan Foyth at right back.

In 2020, they signed Matt Doherty for £14.7m. In 2021, they spent £25m on Emerson Royal. In 2022, they signed Djed Spence in a deal worth up to £20m. Now, they have completed the £40m deal for Porro from Sporting. That is a total outlay close to £100m on right backs.

It comes after Djed Spence and Matt Doherty struggled to establish themselves in North London, with Spence leaving for Rennes on loan and Doherty moving to Atletico Madrid

Still, they cannot be sure they have the solution to the problem, but they will expect 23-year-old Porro, who joins initially on loan before the move becomes permanent in July, to transfer his fine form from Portugal into English football.

His strengths ought to suit Antonio Conte, who likes his wing backs to have the creative qualities of a winger allied to stamina, strength and an ability to work back and adopt his often detailed strategic defensive instruction.

Porro is primarily attack-minded, creates chances and can score goals. Conte will trust he has the presence of mind to quickly grasp his tactical method and provide him with what he considers a complete wing back on the right.

Brazilian Emerson Royal (pictured) has also not been a complete success since signing in 2021

It did not work out that way for Doherty, who has now joined Atletico Madrid following the termination of his Spurs contract, signed from Wolves when Jose Mourinho was Spurs boss and nor has it worked entirely for Royal, signed under Nuno Espirito Santo. 

Nor Spence, who was signed last summer from Middlesbrough and…