Home Blog Page 3

Player Ratings: Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs
All rights reserved by JASON CAIRNDUFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

It was a disappointing day for Tottenham Hotspur as our dreams of making the top four came crashing down.

It was always a long shot given the gap, but the performance against Sheffield showed that the team is some way away from challenging for a spot at the top table of European football.

For all our posturing, we actually find ourselves below Arsenal in the league table at this point of time.

Given the season the Gunners have had, that is a damning fall from the glories of last season.

Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham LIVE! Premier League result, latest ...
All rights reserved by the London Evening Standard

In Sheffield United, we were up against an opponent who was rocked by injuries. The likes of Lundstram, Jack O’Connell, John Fleck, and Luke Freeman were all unavailable on the night. Chris Wilder went as far as to name only seven substitutes of a possible nine, which spoke volumes of his predicament.

Spurs never got into the game as Sheffield United almost scored in the first minutes. Itw as a sign of things to come. The excellent Sander Berge gave the Blades the lead in the 31st minute.

Harry Kane looked to have brought us level but the goal was ruled out by VAR. Lys Mousset and Oli McBurnie put the game to bed before Kane grabbed a late consolation.

Blades back on form as Spurs fume at VAR | 15 Minute News
All rights reserved by 15 Minute News

A forgetful night. We might as well as also forget our European aspirations.

We take a look at how the Spurs players fared on the night.

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings

Hugo Lloris (5/10)

It speaks volumes when your goalkeeper is the best player in defence in a match where you concede three goals. The Frenchman was alert and denied George Baldock from scoring in the first minute. If anything, that was a sign of things to come. To his credit, he did not do much wrong.

Serge Aurier (3/10)

The Ivorian either causes confusion in the opposition ranks with his marauding runs or withing his own backline due to his ability to switch off. Today it was the latter as he was turned time and time again by Sheffield.

His contribution at the other end wasn’t much to write home about either. Taken off for Dele Alli in the second half. Mourinho will not have been impressed.

Eric Dier (4/10)

His worst performance in defence for Tottenham. The Englishman did well to win a number of crucial headers in the first half but struggled with the ball on the ground.

Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham LIVE! Premier League result, latest ...
All rights reserved by the London Evening Standard

His positioning left much to be desired and was caught flat-footed as Lys Mousset doubled the Blades’ advantage. It did not get much better as he could do little to thwart Oli McBurnie from scoring the third.

Davinson Sanchez (2/10)

A miserable night for the Colombian who was at fault for all three goals. Was too inertial for the first goal and was caught completely out of position for the second.

Stood out like a sore thumb amidst a defence that was missing all game. Spurs fans might be forgiven if they thought they were watching Dejan Lovren in action.

Ben Davies (4/10)

Struggled to make an impact at both ends of the pitch. His crossing was awry while his positioning was questionable at best. Should have done better to read the buildup for the third. A forgetful night.

Moussa Sissoko (4.5/10)

The Frenchman did little to justify his inclusion in the starting lineup. Although he bombed forward numerous times, his final ball was lacking.

A player capable of both the sublime and the ridiculous, he was more Hyde than Jekyll on the night at Bramall Lane. Failed to keep up with his man for the second goal and was promptly subbed off.

Giovani Lo Celso (4/10)

In the leadup to the game, Mourinho had stressed that he would prefer to have Lo Celso over Bruno Fernandes. He might have well have been tempting fate as the Argentine faded as the game went on.

Sheffield United Defeat Tottenham Hotspur Boost European Hopes
All rights reserved by Complete Sports

He could not stand up to the physicality in midfield and also made a hash of his setpiece deliveries. Lo Celso is an excellent player who can fill the void left by Christian Eriksen. However, it appears he still has ways to go.

Lucas Moura (4.5./10)

Ran hard but made little of note happen. The Brazilian played a key role in Harry Kane’s equalizer. Unfortunately, he was adjudged to have handled the ball and saw the effort ruled out.

Made a few good runs, but lacked the end product to make them count.

Steven Bergwijn (5/10)

The Dutchman played the number 10 role and saw a lot of the ball. He caused Sheffield some problems with his pace and trickery. His usual end product was however lacking and was taken off for Erik Lamela at the hour mark.

Referees are now in the office, not pitch says Mourinho ...
All rights reserved by Goal

Son Heung-Min (5/10)

Spurs were without their talismanic striker for a while prior to the restart. It looked to be the same against Sheffield as the South Korean was anonymous on the pitch.

Honestly believed that he had been taken off at half-time before he popped up to assist Harry Kane for the consolation.

Harry Kane (5/10)

Barely touched the ball and looked off the pace. Thought he had brought his side level only for the goal to be ruled out. Grabbed a late consolation in what was our only saving grace all game.

More Tottenham Hotspur News

Substitutes

Erik Lamela (6/10)

Showed urgency after coming on and immediately made a darting run into the box. did his best to bring his side back into the game but could not find that final pass that could have made the difference.

Tanguy Ndombele (4/10)

Brought on with 20 minutes to go. Difficult to see what he could have done given the average performances around him. To his credit,  did pass the ball around and try to make things happen.

Dele Alli (4/10)

Did little after coming on. At the very least it took the disappointing Aurier our of the game.

Jan Verthonghen (NA)

The Belgian was brought on for the final nine minutes. Not much to talk about here.

Premier League break benefitted Spurs, says Peter Crouch

Crouch
All rights reserved by Goal

Peter Crouch has warned Wolverhampton Wanderers that football’s lockdown could benefit his old club Tottenham Hotspur in the battle for the top four.

When the Premier League finally resumes next week after a three-month shutdown, Wolves are well-placed for a crack at the Champions League places.

They are currently in sixth position with 43 points, two behind fifth-placed Manchester United and five below Chelsea in fourth. Sheffield United are seventh on 43 points with a game in hand.

Nothing changes for Sheffield United after Manchester City ban ...
All rights reserved by Yahoo! Sports

But Crouch reckons Spurs, in eighth, are a dark horse to gatecrash the top four, as the unexpected break has allowed Harry Kane and Son crucial recovery time.

Wolves lost 2-1 to Spurs at Molineux in December, but won 3-2 away in March.

The Premier League is set to return on June 17 after its three month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s ideal for Spurs, let’s be honest,” Crouch told football.london.

Mourinho
All rights reserved by SpursWEB

“They were struggling with Son and Kane out and those two coming back will be huge for them and only going to help them.

“It will be interesting to see how it kicks off. I’m sure the players would have looked after themselves, but you might get a few shock results. If you do have to play at neutral venues you’re not sure how things are going to pan out. I think there will be a few surprise results.

“The home games only really helps if you have the fans. Of course, it helps if you have your own parking space, know where you sit, it does help. But the main thing is the fans, so there will be a few away wins, definitely.”

Watford captain, Troy Deeney refuses return to training - FeedMuster
All rights reserved by FeedMuster

The return of the Premier League has a lot of hurdles to overcome, with several players also refusing to train.

Troy Deeney was the first to not head back to Watford, however has not agreed to starting training once again with his teammates.

Meanwhile, N’Golo Kante is not training with the rest of the Chelsea squad and doing solo fitness work.

Both have cited the health concerns in football’s return and fear of contracting the virus, something that Crouch can completely understand.

Mourinho is frustrated, says Paul Merson

Mourinho
All rights reserved by SpursWEB

Paul Merson has claimed on The Football Show, which was broadcast on Sky Sports, that he can sense Jose Mourinho is becoming frustrated at Tottenham Hotspur. 

Mourinho initially joined Spurs and was very positive in his first few press conferences.

However, Merson feels that the Portuguese boss has become more and more impatient as time has progressed, with Spurs struggling for results.

Has Mourinho lost his mojo?' - Tottenham boss seems to be lacking ...
All rights reserved by Goal

“I think he gets frustrated very quickly,” Merson said. “When he came in he was very quickly and he brought Dier off after 20 minutes, but after he said ‘he’s a great player, he understands the game, I had to do that’. He said all the right things.

“About two months later he brings Dele Alli off, Alli has the hump and he says ‘oh he needs to play better, if he was playing any good he wouldn’t have been taken off’.

“I think he’s lost that patience a little bit more now. He’s a winner, he’s not a third or fourth merchant. He’s a Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy kind of player and he wants to win the big stuff.”

Joao Sacramento: Jose Mourinho's new No 2 at Tottenham Hotspur is ...
All rights reserved by Sky Sports

Mourinho did spark an initial improvement at Tottenham, but he just hasn’t been able to guide Spurs into the top four.

In fairness to the three-time Premier League-winning boss he has had a seriously tough time with injuries.

Mourinho has seen Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Moussa Sissoko all ruled out for a considerable period of time, which affected Tottenham’s form.

Harry Kane injury scare: Key questions for Spurs and England ...
All rights reserved by Sky Sports

The trio have, at least, recovered now and Spurs should be a much stronger team when the Premier League restarts.

Mourinho’s side’s first game back in action comes against Manchester United in just under two weeks.

Tottenham players reluctant to take pay cuts for good reason

Tottenham
All rights reserved by the New York Times

Tottenham players, who believe they have for some time been undervalued and underpaid, are reluctant to agree to pay cuts.

The embedded frugal wage structure has allowed Daniel Levy to squeeze the most out of his assets, facilitating higher year-on-year profits. For years Spurs’ players have voiced their concerns about being, in comparison to other top teams, heavily underpaid.

Those comments have been basically ignored by the chairman. Some players received raises in recent years, most of which were nominal in comparison to their colleagues around the league.

Kane
All rights reserved by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

According to Sportrac, Son Heung-Min, Tottenham’s third highest paid player, takes in about £140,000, while Dele Alli, who is fourth on the payroll hierarchy, earns £100,000 a week.

Compare that to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, the third and fourth highest earners at Manchester United, who take in £250,000 and £200,000 respectively.

It’s a common theme with the perceived juggernaut clubs of the Premier League. Tottenham provide their players the lowest salaries, on average, of all the top six teams. And the pay disparity is significant.

Dele Alli
All rights reserved by the Times

So it’s hard to blame them for refusing to acquiesce on Levy’s pay-cut request. While they are still earning handsomely in terms of greater society, undercutting their value has left a sour taste. It has made the request all the more difficult to accommodate.

At some point, Tottenham players might capitulate and take pay cuts for the greater good. But it will be a massive sacrifice that could tarnish even further their relationship with Levy, which is already bending toward a potential breaking point.

Five players Tottenham should buy for next season

Tottenham
All rights reserved by Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

With a reported £135 million to work with in the upcoming transfer window, Tottenham should look to sign these five players to spearhead Spurs’ revival.  

There is no guarantee that Mourinho, especially if his side don’t qualify for next season’s Champions League, will have access to such a handsome war chest, but let’s assume Daniel Levy agrees to freeing up the funds for the Portuguese manager.

Mourinho cannot spend the funds frivolously, knowing his transfer decisions will be the difference between Tottenham battling for silverware and, more disconcertingly, seeing his side fade into the abyss of the inferior middling pack.

Here’s the five players Mourinho should prioritize going into the 2020-2021 campaign:

5. Max Aarons — Norwich City

The thought of bringing another unseasoned, inexperienced wing back to Hotspur Way might frighten some. They’ll say Tottenham need a bona fide starter, somebody Premier League ready, prepared for the rigours and demands that await. Luckily Max Aarons, Norwich City’s breakout right back, ticks all the necessary boxes.

Aarons would be a great signing for Spurs' - Bent sees Norwich ...
All rights reserved by Goal

He’s enjoyed an absolutely terrific maiden year in England’s top flight and, maybe most importantly, just turned 20 years old. He’s mature well beyond his years, looking every part a seasoned pro.

Offering trickery, pace and a footballing acuity rare for his tender age, Aarons would assuredly unseat Serge Aurier as the club’s first choice right back.

Tansfermarkt values the Englishman at about £18 million, an incredibly fair price. He see Norwich accepting a £22 million. But when you think of his upside and potential career trajectory, Aarons should, if the club that purchases him plays their cards right, be worth at least three times that in five years. He’s good enough to be vying for his nation’s top right back spot within a season or two. He has started 27 of Norwich’s 29 league matches and is one of the silver linings to an otherwise abject campaign for a side almost certain to make the drop.

4. Dayot Upamecano — RB Leipzig

I know what you’re thinking. Why would a 21-year-old centre back marshalling a side whose just eviscerated us in the Champions League make a move to that very same side, one who likely won’t compete in next season’s Champions League? Tottenham, even if they don’t qualify for next season’s Champions League, will remain a lucrative club to sign for.

Transfer news: Arsenal 'to turn their attention to Dayot Upamecano ...
All rights reserved by the Daily Mail

The Lilywhites have the world’s second best stadium, some of the most opulent training facilities and the globe’s superior fan base. And even though Daniel Levy won’t admit it, Spurs now have deep pockets. Not as deep as some, but way deeper than many other clubs around the continent.

Upamecano is a physical specimen who has the potential to dominate England’s top flight. He’s blessed with otherworldly strength, power and guile. And, if he fulfills his lofty potential, is still five or six years away from his prime, a scary thought for the opposition. Toby Alderweireld needs a bona fide starter to partner him in Spurs’ rearguard. Bringing Upamecano aboard will allow Davinson Sánchez more time to mature while playing the part of the Frenchman’s understudy. Levy will have to splash out at least £50 if they want to secure the dynamo’s signature.

3. Ben White — Brighton

Ben White is flying under the radar exceptionally well during his loan stint with Leeds United. The Championship side sits atop the first division, poised for Premier League promotion. Which means Spurs would have their work cut out for them to convince Leeds to relinquish a top asset. Leeds will want to make his loan deal from Brighton permanent, while Brighton will be keen, if they avoid the drop, to make White a part of next season’s Premier League setup.

Arsenal join race to sign Ben White this summer - Read Arsenal
All rights reserved by Read Arsenal

But Brighton would not be able to ignore a big money transfer request from a side of Tottenham’s stature. White is an incredibly astute 22-year-old central defender who has all the trimmings to ascend the ranks, one day potentially marshalling the Three Lions’ rearguard. A lot has to go right in the coming years, but a move to Tottenham could facilitate his ascension to prominence. However If Spurs land Upamecano, they won’t see the need for signing a second centre back, so this transfer is completely predicated on whether the Leipzig man joins.

2. Alfredo Morelos — Rangers

Alfredo Morelos is an untapped resource on the world’s biggest stages. Currently plying his trade for Rangers in the Scottish Premier League, the Colombian has a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. A Johnny on the spot striker, Morelos has scored 12 goals in 18 starts this season. He is still quite raw, but has a lot of potential and is still only 23 years of age.

And Spurs can have him for a reasonable rate of about £15 million. Transfermarkt currently has him pegged at about £12 million. As a second string striker, he’s definitely worth the relatively small financial risk.

Other affordable strikers on Spurs radar include Southampton’s Danny Ings, Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud, among others. In terms of strikers, everything depends on Harry Kane.

Kane
All rights reserved by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

The Englishman has made it clear that Spurs need to match his ambition to retain his services. If he leaves, Tottenham will be in the market for bigger names whose market prices will invariably be astronomically higher than the likes of Morelos.

1. Raul Jimenez — Wolves

Much of Wolves success is due to the vaunted play of Raul Jimenez. The Mexican has taken the league by storm, putting everyone on notice. He’d make a massive difference to Spurs, infiltrating the first team immediately.

He’d feed off Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli’s creativity, while offering top calibre support for Harry Kane. Signing Jimenez would also show Kane that Spurs mean business and are ready to match the Englishman’s ambitions. He is worth a reported £45 million, an investment worth every penny.

Raul Jimenez should be 'first name' on transfer lists for Chelsea ...
All rights reserved by Goal

Jimenez thrives in a front role but could assert himself well playing in support of Kane, in a number 9 role. The Mexican is 28 years old and has 13 goals to go along with six assists during the current campaign.

He won’t be easy to pry away from Wolves, especially considering what a revelation he’s been this season. But a lucrative move to Spurs will be hard for Jimenez to turn a blind eye to. Numerous other teams will also be vying to secure the asset’s signature.

Andre Onana possible Hugo Lloris replacement

Onana
All rights reserved by the Daily Mail

Ajax’s number one, Andre Onana, is interested in leaving the Dutch club, and Tottenham are thought to be considering making a move for the Cameroonian. 

The 24-year-old keeper started his senior career with Ajax in 2015 after graduating from Barcelona’s youth academy. The athletic keeper is seen as a pure shot-stopper, someone with cat-like reflexes and an unrivalled enthusiasm for the game.

Whichever team lands Onana will have to shell out about £35 million to secure his services.

While Onana has a massive upside, there are a few drawbacks to his ever-evolving skillset: his presence in tight crowds, particularly on crosses or corners, has come into question. He doesn’t dominate aerial deliveries the way you’d expect from an élite keeper.

Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana dreams of emulating the best ...
All rights reserved by Goal UK

He is still only 24 years old, and has time to improve his confidence. But you’d expect a keeper who costs £35 million to be the finished article.

I can’t see Spurs pursuing Onana unless the price drops well below £30 million.

Onana isn’t the only keeper Tottenham are keeping close tabs on, with Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha also being monitored by the club. 

What a kick in the teeth that would be for Gazzaniga" - Many Spurs ...
All rights reserved by Football Fancast

Finding a replacement for Lloris is by no means Tottenham’s top priority. Far from it. Sourcing reinforcements at right-back, upfront, in central defence and in the heart of midfield are all more pressing requirements.

If Tottenham decides to bring in a new keeper, Lloris will more than likely accept a new challenge at a different club.

Though I’m not sure that would be wholly beneficial for a Tottenham side short on captain-like personalities.

Selling Harry Kane to Manchester United would be unforgivable

Kane
All rights reserved by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

Latest speculation, this time from the Daily Mail, reports that Daniel Levy will sell Harry Kane to Manchester United, a move that would go down as the worst decision in club history. 

It would be an unforgivable bit of business, even if Kane garners the optimistic, particularly given the current climate, £200 million world record fee the Daily Mail reports. There are so many follies to the prospective deal it’s hard to know where to start.

A disclaimer: this a Daily Mail report we are discussing, so take the hyperbole with a grain of salt. However, in the sensationalist publication’s defence, I can actually envision Levy making such a cash-driven, selfish decision.

Tottenham chief Daniel Levy faces grilling from rivals after being ...
All rights reserved by Yahoo! Sports

While it’s true Spurs still owe £637 million on their new, state-of-the-art £1 billion stadium, selling your prized asset to a direct Premier League rival is not the answer.

Sure, the £200 million received for Kane would ease the sustained financial blow this crisis is causing, but a rash decision of this absurd nature will cost the club irreparably in the long term, handing the league’s golden child to a club who would immediately become a Premier League contender with his services.

And can we really trust Levy with an additional £200 million windfall?

We all know what he did with the nearly £90 garnered by selling Gareth Bale in 2013, sanctioning the purchase of a fist full of players who turned out to be little better than dead wood to chuck on the fire.

Bale's agent slams 'joke' exit talk as Real Madrid boss Zidane has ...
All rights reserved by Goal UK

Leaving £200 million in the hands of Mourinho and Levy to invest wisely is like asking the top execs of Goldman Sachs to be honest and incorruptible.

Let’s for a second take the money out of the scenario, which I know is hard when speaking of such astronomical sums. Handing a scoring machine, the world’s most lethal striker when fit, to Manchester United is tantamount to handing them the Premier League crown. If not next season, than certainly in a subsequent campaign.

It would go down as the most irresponsible, impulsive decision in Tottenham history, one I’d regard as a severe, self-deprecating act, synonymous with treason.

I understand the merit behind selling Kane to Real Madrid. There is some logic to that move, a few silver linings. 

But offloading your franchise asset to a direct competitor is as irrational as it is asinine. And it would be an unforgivable act, the final straw for an owner whose back cannot take any more strain.

Tottenham won’t be able to considerably strengthen this summer

Daniel Levy
All rights reserved by Sports Witness

An unnamed player agent told Tottenham director of football Damien Comolli that only three Premier League teams will be able to spend money on transfers this summer, according to Sky Sports.

While a curtailment in spending won’t come as a surprise to most, the extent of the reduction might. Manchester United and Manchester City, despite Pep Guardiola’s men being temporarily banned from Champions League action for the next two seasons, are in strong financial positions to maintain their presence in the transfer market.

Tottenham and Liverpool are thought to be the other clubs with some slight wiggle room on potential transfers. But Spurs owe over £600 million on their new state of the art stadium and are expected to constrict considerably their spending over the summer, especially if Champions League football is off the cards.

Sound solutions for Spurs' new stadium | Stadia Magazine
All rights reserved by Stadia Magazine

Transfer rumours will pervade and so to will the speculation that Spurs are the “frontrunner” to land certain players. The reality, however, is altogether different. Before the current crisis enveloped the world, Jose Mourinho had a war chest of over £130 million to work with.

Divide that number by three or four to gain a more realistic estimate of Mourinho’s transfer funds’ allocation. Most top flight teams are in the same boat, with transfers becoming a luxury until the Premier League once again stabilizes. It definitely will stabilize, but time is needed for an enduring recovery.

This news, however, shouldn’t overly dismay Tottenham supporters. Mourinho has a strong core to work with, particularly knowing his collection of long-term injury absentees will return once football does.

Jose Mourinho has to get a tune out of Tottenham stars who had ...
All rights reserved by Tottenham Hotspur

It’s up to Mourinho to showcase his ability to get the best out of his current squad. While it’s true he inherited most players from Mauricio Pochettino’s reign, Mourinho added Gedson Fernandes and Steven Bergwijn during the season.

It’s imperative players like Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon, Giovani Lo Celso and Japhet Tanganga come good under Mourinho’s tutelage, as it could be a while before Spurs splash out considerable funds on procuring reinforcements.

How Tottenham’s potential swap deal with Barcelona stacks up

Ndombele
All rights reserved by NBC Sports

Rampant speculation about Tanguy Ndombele‘s future at Tottenham has him making a potential move to Barcelona in return for center-back Samuel Umtiti and right-back Nelson Semedo.

While Ndombele posted an encouraging video on Instagram yesterday saying “nothing to report”, the message wasn’t a clear indication of where his allegiances lie. Though it looks like he wants to stay at Spurs, he merely could have been suggesting there is no news to report on the potential transfer.

Barcelona have shown keen interest in Ndombele as the Frenchman struggles to find his place in north London.

Umtiti and Semedo

Arsenal were in hot pursuit of Umtiti until recently, but believe the 26-year-old’s weekly salary is overly inflated. Umtiti currently makes about £7 million per season. Not bad for a center-back who, behind Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet, is third on Barcelona’s center back pecking order. The Catalan giants also want about £45 million to secure the transfer.

Samuel Umtiti transfer news: Barcelona upbeat on new deal for ...
All rights reserved by Goal UK

Which brings us to a potential swap deal with Spurs.

Semedo would be thrown in to sweeten the deal for Spurs. Semedo is also 26 years old and plays right back, a position Tottenham badly need to strengthen. Transfermarkt has him valued at £28 million, so one would assume Spurs would have to fork out about £20 million or so to make the deal happen.

Semedo has made 16 starts while appearing in 21 matches this season for Barcelona, while Umtiti made nine starts, appearing just 11 times. The deal makes positional sense, as it checks the boxes Tottenham desperately need to reinforce and strengthen. Both players, however, are comparatively low on Barcelona’s depth chart, so how they would immediately impact Spurs first team is a frightening unknown.

Barcelona warned selling Semedo would be a 'mistake' as transfer ...
All rights reserved by Goal

In their mid-20s, both Semedo and Umtiti potentially have many excellent years left. But Ndombele is only 23 years old and Tottenham haven’t yet scratched the surface of his boundless potential.

I still feel strongly Tottenham shouldn’t give up on Ndombele. There’s a reason Mauricio Pochettino was willing to spend £63 million on the player. And it irks me deeply to envision him fulfilling his boundless potential in Spain with the Catalan giants.

While the swap deal has a lot of merit, Spurs should stand strong and show their belief in Ndombele, even if his first season in England didn’t live up to expectations.

Kondogbia the final piece to complete Spurs’ midfield?

All rights reserved by Sky Sports

It is no secret Jose Mourinho is crying out for a defensive midfielder to slot alongside a fit Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso.

Mourinho, who is known for his 4-2-3-1 style of play, has often reverted to a 4-3-3 in recent months with his Spurs side, giving game time to the likes of Ndombele, Lo Celso, Winks, and Dier.

Gedson Fernandes was also brought into the club in January on an 18-month loan deal from Benfica, but it appears Mourinho is yet to discover a Tottenham player who possesses similar attributes to Nemanja Matic – a player who was crucial to his system at both Manchester United and Chelsea.

Levy must seize perfect chance to sign £26.3m enforcer who can be ...
All rights reserved by Football Fancast

According to Football.London, defensive midfield is regarded as a priority position which the club will look to strengthen in the upcoming transfer window, with Premier League duo Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Nemanja Matic on the shortlist.

However, Spurs scout Steve Hitchen is reportedly a huge fan of Valencia defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia (Sky Sports).

Initially, it was reported that his club were looking for a fee in the region of his reported £61m release clause, however a recent development from the Evening Standard suggests Valencia could be willing to part with the 27-year-old for as little as €30m.

Kondogbia: Tottenham Hotspur show interest in Valencia midfielder ...
All rights reserved by Goal

This latest figure would ultimately boost Tottenham’s chances of matching Valencia’s demands, with the club willing to spend in this region to strengthen depleted areas of the squad.

What would Kondogbia offer?

Kondogbia’s key information | Image: Transfermarkt.co.uk

According to TransferMarkt, the former Inter Milan man can occupy both central and defensive midfield areas and has featured 17 times in La Liga this season. He’s netted twice for his side this season, once in the league and once in the Champions League.

Securing the signature of Kondogbia would not only fill a void in the current squad, but it would also unlock the likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, providing them with greater attacking freedom.

Kondogbia is recognised for his ability to break-up opposition attacks and can be a powerful presence when protecting the defensive line, similar to the role we’ve seen occupied by Matic in Mourinho’s system.

Jose Mourinho Wants To Take This Chelsea Star To Manchester United
All rights reserved by Newsweek

The midfielder also has an eye for goal, finding the back of the net 21 times in his career including four goals in the 2017/18 domestic season alone. The Valencia man is also powerful in the air and likes to time his offensive runs to arrive late at the edge of the box, a trait similar to Spurs’ Dele Alli.

Who are the other targets?

As widely reported, Kondogbia is not the only defensive midfielder on Spurs’ shortlist of targets ahead of the transfer window.

According to AS, Tottenham are just one of several clubs wanting to sign Rennes midfielder and teenage sensation Eduardo Camavinga.

The youngster has been valued at €50m by his club, with the likes of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich also in the race for his signature.

Camavinga
All rights reserved by Telefoot

Southampton captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was linked with a move to Spurs late in the January window (Sky Sports), but it all seemed too little too late from the north London side.

With a longer window soon available to complete deals and with the Dane’s current deal expiring in 2021, there could be an opportunity for Spurs to rekindle their interest.

Mourinho’s favoured option in recent years has been Nemanja Matic, and he could prove to be a cheaper option to slot into defensive midfield.

Manchester United recently took the option to extend the Serbian’s deal to 2021 (BBC), but the return of Scott McTominay could leave the 31-year-old on the sidelines.