Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood has praised full‑back Pedro Porro and urged Spurs to keep hold of him amid reported interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro has come a long way since joining the club, developing into a well-rounded defender compared to when he first arrived.

But that has not always been the case. At the time of his signing, Porro’s defensive work was heavily criticised, particularly his struggles with marking at the back post and allowing runners in behind.

One of his biggest critics was former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood, who was far from impressed with the Spaniard’s defending.

Sherwood once said of Porro: “I do not want to keep picking on the kid but he needs to be relieved of his duties at the moment. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt because it is his debut but Pedro Porro is so bad it is unbelievable.”

That was not the only time the former Spurs boss criticised Porro. Again in 2023, he remarked: “The weakness is the fullbacks. If Udogie isn’t fit, I think he has done brilliantly. Pedro Porro is a poor defender. But he is a very good going forward. If I was Chelsea, then I would try to exploit that.”

Fast forward to 2024, and Sherwood was back at it again. This time, he said: “He will let you down. I was very critical early doors of Pedro Porro and I still am. I think he’s not a good defender. When he is asked to defend, as we saw in this game as well, he will let you down. But going forward and expressing the fitness, the ability on the ball and the range of passing, it’s fantastic. The manager has recognised that and he is playing him to his strengths.”

In 2025, after winning the Europa League final (and keeping a clean sheet), Porro snapped back at Sherwood. He said: “You can ask him from me what he thinks now. People can think what they want. I’ve got no problem with him or anyone. It’s normal. It’s his opinion. Lots of people have an opinion: if you’re good, if you’re bad.

“In truth, it does affect you, of course. It’s normal. You’re new, you have only been in the team a week, and it was my first game. But it’s football. And football is capricious. A year later I went back to Leicester and scored the first goal of the season. Football is like that. That toughens you.

“As I have said before: thanks very much for having a go at me because that makes me strong too. It’s true that at first, it hurts because you think: ‘Bloody hell, let me breathe.’ But that’s normal. It’s the pressure that comes with football. They’ve paid £50m for you. And I have always had that mentality to change people’s opinions.”

Tim Sherwood praises Pedro Porro’s transformation at Tottenham

Now a World Cup winner and a senior figure in north London, Porro has refined his game and is one of the first names on the teamsheet for Spurs.

His rise has now attracted interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona, with reports suggesting both clubs are considering a move to sign the Tottenham man in the winter.

The Spaniard offers plenty in attack, delivering dangerous crosses into the box and showing versatility by inverting into midfield.

These qualities have now been highlighted and praised by Sherwood, who has changed his stance on the full-back and urged Spurs not to let him go.

Speaking on The Overlap, Sherwood said: “Porro is a good example. When he first came to Tottenham under Antonio Conte, he was having him as an out-and-out right-back, a Gary Neville type right-back. And he could not do that – he used to switch off, making runs off the inside and the outside of him, and he just wanted to play forward.

“But now at Tottenham, although he is injured at the moment, when he plays on the front foot there is no one better as a right-sided player. So I go back and say back then I stand by what I said, but now I think he is progressive, I think he is an excellent right-sided player. It would be very well to keep him.”

Porro vital for Spurs under De Zerbi

Sherwood is right to highlight Porro’s influence, as the full-back played a crucial role in helping Tottenham secure safety last season.

When Roberto De Zerbi took charge in April, Porro played in every match and stood out throughout. His lowest rating during that run-in was a 6.9 in the clash against Chelsea.

This season, however, Porro has barely featured due to fitness concerns, but he is expected to be available for Spurs’ upcoming clash with Chelsea, a welcome boost for De Zerbi’s side.