Impartial of how Tottenham Hotspur end the 2023/24 Premier League marketing campaign, their first beneath Ange Postecoglou‘s administration, one of many first ports of name in the course of the low season might be to safe the companies of an thrilling new striker.
Certain, Heung-min Son has altered between his favoured left-sided attacking position and a extra central placing place, scoring 11 targets from 15 matches up entrance, however the South Korean provides predatory prowess out huge whereas additionally higher harnessing his elite creativity.
Richarlison, besting the woes of final yr after finishing a £60m switch from Everton, loved a superb purple patch over the previous a number of months and scored 9 targets from ten top-flight fixtures, however he too might be not the long-term reply because the focal frontman.
Qualifying for the Champions League will open a broader window of alternative available in the market, nevertheless it’s not the be-all and end-all, and Spurs seem intent on honing in on Feyenoord ahead Santiago Gimenez.
Spurs’ seek for a striker
Whereas there was a lot discuss surrounding the futures of centre-forwards like Ivan Toney, who’s of curiosity to a number of Premier League outfits, Tottenham have a long-standing admiration for Gimenez and will now speed up such intrigue.
No less than, that is in response to Caught Offside, who’ve revealed that the Mexico star is Daniel Levy‘s precedence goal this summer season, having proved to be a prolific presence for the defending Eredivisie champions.
Toney, amongst different prime abilities, has certainly been named instead nevertheless it’s clear who the Lilywhites favour, and with a reported price ticket of simply £30m, it may be the way in which to go.
Santiago Gimenez’s fashion of play
Feyenoord solely acquired Gimenez’s companies initially of final season however the gifted marksman has already posted 47 targets and eight assists from simply 80 appearances.
It is a powerful return, notably as a result of De membership aan de Maas clinched the Eredivisie title final yr, with Gimenez bagging a substantial haul of 15 targets from simply 21 beginning appearances.
It appears unlikely that second-place Feyenoord will full a profitable defence of their title provided that PSV Eindhoven are undefeated and ten factors clear heading into the ultimate stretch of the season, however Arne Slot’s facet can hardly place blame on Gimenez’s shoulders, the talisman taking his recreation to the subsequent degree this season.
Dubbed the “Mexican machine” by expertise scout Jacek Kulig, Gimenez continues to be solely 22 years outdated and if he loved success by means of innate placing skill final time period, he has now began to wreak havoc within the last third with a sort of mechanical effectivity that solely the sport’s superlative goalscorers are able to attaining.
Taking that wealthy vein of type and lifting his placing prowess to the subsequent degree all through the present marketing campaign, Gimenez has plundered 21 targets and 4 assists from simply 25 matches within the Dutch top-flight, adjusting and enhancing on his general efficiency too.
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Santiago Gimenez: 22/23 vs 23/24 Eredivisie Comparability |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
22/23 |
23/24 |
|
Matches performed |
32 |
25 |
|
Matches began |
21 |
25 |
|
Objectives |
15 |
21 |
|
Assists |
2 |
4 |
|
Cross completion |
70% |
69% |
|
Key passes per recreation |
0.6 |
0.8 |
|
Dribbles per recreation |
0.4 |
0.9 |
|
Tackles per recreation |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Duels gained per recreation |
2.7 |
4.0 |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore |
||
As per FBref, the Argentina-born ace ranks among the many prime 1% of forwards throughout divisions much like the Dutch Eredivisie over the previous yr for targets scored and touches within the attacking penalty space and the highest 17% for progressive carries per 90.
All this highlights his instinctive ending skill and, furthermore, a relentless presence within the hazard space, with spatial consciousness and deft motion that makes him good because the spearhead for a fluid and progressive Tottenham system beneath Postecoglou’s administration.
His ability and effectivity in attacking sequences carry a sure Manchester Metropolis sharpshooter to thoughts, with Gimenez certainly bearing a semblance to the world-class Erling Haaland – as has been famous by the aforementioned Kulig.
Spurs’ reply to Haaland
When referring to the division’s most interesting goalscorers, Haaland is undoubtedly the cream of the crop within the Premier League proper now.
Signed from Borussia Dortmund for a base payment of £51m, the 23-year-old Norway worldwide arrived with a weight of expectation after staggering ranges of prolific success in Germany and the Champions League.
Some may need predicted Haaland to have discovered a unique kettle of fish on English shores, the defences harder, extra industrious, and the funds unfold all through surpassing that in Germany, Spain, Italy, and so forth.
|
Fewest Video games to Rating 50 PL Objectives |
||
|---|---|---|
|
# |
Participant |
Video games |
|
1. |
Erling Haaland |
48 |
|
2. |
Andy Cole |
65 |
|
3. |
Alan Shearer |
66 |
|
4. |
Ruud van Nistelrooy |
68 |
|
5. |
Mohamed Salah |
72 |
|
5. |
Fernando Torres |
72 |
|
Stats by way of Planet Soccer |
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It took him no time in any respect to search out his ft, with Haaland instrumental in Manchester Metropolis’s Treble-winning 2022/23 marketing campaign and now standing with a report of 81 targets and 15 assists from 87 matches for the Cityzens, with one pundit remarking that “he is a cyborg, he is a superhuman, he is an absolute gem of a soccer participant.”
To stress his gorgeous offensive skill, FBref presents Haaland’s rating among the many prime 8% of centre-forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for targets, the highest 14% for assists and the highest 10% for touches within the attacking penalty space per 90.
Like Haaland, Gimenez has that pure confidence and swagger within the last third, and whereas the Mexico worldwide does not supply the sort of fluidity and dynamism that one similar to Son brings to the workforce, his presence would open up a brand new dimension and be sure that the Lilywhites have the requisite of firepower to unleash their fury on opposition subsequent season with success.
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Spurs as soon as thought they’d Busquets 2.0, then Ange rightly offered him
This former Tottenham participant actually fell by the wayside in north London.
Spurs are fifth within the Premier League, and as but are unsure whether or not they may ply their commerce in Europe’s elite membership competitors subsequent yr, although it is virtually a certainty that soccer might be contested on the continent, in some regard.
Signing Gimenez might be key, with the scientific striker precisely what is required to proceed the rebuild down N17.
