Tottenham Hotspur kick off their Premier League marketing campaign with a visit away from London to tackle Leicester Metropolis on the King Energy stadium tonight.
Spurs are set to do enterprise with their opponents, with Oliver Skipp as a result of take part a £25m deal, however the midfielder is not going to be accessible to play even when they announce him earlier than the match.
Ange Postecoglou may hand debuts to Lucas Bergvall, Archie Grey, Wilson Odobert, and Dominic Solanke, who’ve all been added to the squad this summer time, albeit Bergvall was signed again in February.
There may very well be extra to return earlier than the tip of the summer time switch window, although, as Spurs have been linked with an curiosity in including one other defender to the group.
Spurs curiosity in Bundesliga ace
Studio Futbol reported earlier this month that the Lilywhites are certainly one of plenty of groups thinking about signing Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie.
The outlet claimed that Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool are additionally eager on the Ecuador worldwide, who was as soon as described as a “charismatic” defender by expertise scout Jacek Kulig.
It was revealed that Xabi Alonso, who led Leverkusen to an unimaginable unbeaten Bundesliga season final time period, has requested the colossus to stay in Germany, as he’s a key determine within the Spaniard’s aspect.
TEAMtalk beforehand claimed that it could take a price of round £50m to tempt the Bundesliga champions into parting methods with the 22-year-old star, and it stays to be seen whether or not or not Tottenham are ready to pay that a lot for him.
If Postecoglou can land the proficient defender earlier than the tip of the summer time switch window, although, then the Leverkusen star may very well be his personal model of Arsenal enforcer Ben White.
Why Piero Hincapie is like Ben White
Albeit on reverse sides of the pitch, each gamers are central defenders by commerce who’ve been transformed into full-backs who can invert centrally to type a again three.
Hincapie – who has been described as a “beast” by soccer scout Antonio Mango – is a centre-back who can even play at left-back, offering his supervisor with loads of tactical alternatives, while White emerged as a centre-back earlier in his profession earlier than being transformed right into a right-back by Mikel Arteta.
|
23/24 season |
Hincapie (Bundesliga) |
White (Premier League) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
26 |
37 |
|
Go accuracy |
92% |
87% |
|
Tackles + interceptions * |
1.8 |
2.2 |
|
Ball recoveries * |
3.0 |
3.2 |
|
Floor duel success price |
62% |
50% |
|
Aerial duel success price |
57% |
62% |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore (* = per sport) |
||
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, each gamers are comfy in possession and win the vast majority of their duels on the again, at Bundesliga and Premier League degree respectively.
Hincapie has averaged 5.11 progressive passes and a couple of.10 progressive carries per 90 over the past 12 months, while White has averaged 5.82 progressive passes and 1.15 progressive carries per 90 in the identical interval.
The Leverkusen star ranked inside the highest 1% of his positional friends for progressive carries and the highest 15% for progressive passes, which exhibits that he’s elegant in possession and consistently seems to deliver the ball ahead for his crew.
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He’s linked with a transfer away this summer time.
Subsequently, Hincapie may very well be Postecoglou’s personal model of White by providing a flexible and progressive choice to play throughout the again 4 when wanted this season, as competitors for Micky van de Ven and Future Udogie.
