Spurs may signal a “monster” defender who’s higher than Van de Ven

The passage of Premier League motion handed Tottenham Hotspur by final weekend, with their fixture in opposition to Manchester Metropolis rescheduled as a consequence of their opponents’ involvement within the FA Cup semi-finals, and Ange Postecoglou could have spent a while engaged on methods to enhance.

Exterior first-team coaching and tactical tweaks that might see Spurs hit a purple patch within the late section of the present top-flight marketing campaign, combating to trump Aston Villa in qualifying for the Champions League, sights will likely be set on bolstering successfully through the low season.

The indomitable glow to Postecoglou’s squad through the early stage of the season misplaced its sheen again in November, accidents ravaging the fanciful title aspirations, however it is a membership with the trimmings of success as soon as extra after a number of years of struggling.

Influential signings equivalent to Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson have labored a deal with for a membership nonetheless in transition, however extra work is required to shut the hole on these on the entrance of the Premier League.

Whereas the defence has been much-improved this time period, Tottenham are nonetheless seeking to enhance and the proper new signing might need been lined up.

Spurs eyeing Bundesliga raid

In accordance with switch skilled Fabrizio Romano, Edmond Tapsoba is attracting curiosity from high golf equipment as soon as once more after Tottenham and Manchester United expressed a concrete curiosity within the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back final summer time.

Now a German Bundesliga champion inside Xabi Alonso’s high-flying system, Tapsoba might be on the transfer in a matter of months, with Romano confirming that Spurs despatched scouts to look at the Burkinabé defender in motion in opposition to Borussia Dortmund final weekend.

Whereas an correct price ticket has not surfaced throughout this newest chapter within the switch saga, final summer time he was reported to have a £40m valuation, so in all honesty, Tottenham would in all probability must cough up much more after such a superlative season.

Edmond Tapsoba’s season in numbers

Tapsoba, who’s 25, has spent nearly all of his skilled profession in Leverkusen after signing in an €18m (£16m) switch from Vitória Guimarães as a 20-year-old, quick establishing himself as one of many division’s most promising younger stars.

Having now amassed 176 appearances for Die Werkself, Tapsoba has cemented himself as a key participant inside an illustrious yr within the membership’s historical past, profitable the German Bundesliga for the primary ever time, additionally into the DFB Pokal last and the Europa League semi-finals.

This season, he is performed 38 occasions in all competitions and has led scout Antonio Mango to hail him as a “monster” such is the titanic proportion of his shows, but to style defeat in 2023/24.

Hailed for his “press-shattering” and “line-breaking” passing potential by journalist Jack Fawcett, Tapsoba matches the invoice and will thrive at Tottenham, progressing the play from the again to reinforce Postecoglou’s system whereas sustaining a strong defensive talent set.

Let’s delve right into a bit extra element.

How Edmond Tapsoba would slot in at Spurs

As per FBref, Tapsoba ranks among the many high 15% of centre-backs throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous yr for cross completion, the highest 4% for passes tried, the highest 11% for shot-creating actions, the highest 1% for progressive passes, the highest 2% for progressive carries and the highest 3% for profitable take-ons per 90.

Clearly, he is a participant who is aware of his means round a cross, with this elite distribution so integral to the success of Alonso’s unbreakable model of soccer.

Furthermore, his high-level athleticism and immense ground-covering high quality make for a really singular and window-opening dimension from the again. Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Manchester Metropolis’s John Stones are superlative on this regard, closing down floor and charging their forward-placed teammates’ efforts.

With an ice-cold temperament and an eagle-eyed studying of the sport, the Burkina Faso worldwide would possibly simply be the ultimate piece of the puzzle in Tottenham’s backline. He would possibly even be a greater participant than Van de Ven inside Postecoglou’s group.

Van de Ven has been wonderful this season since becoming a member of Tottenham from German facet Wolfsburg in a £43m deal, however the 22-year-old nonetheless has a lot to study and doesn’t fairly supply the identical full type because the Leverkusen star.

Certainly, Spurs’ Dutch defender ranks among the many high 2% of centre-backs throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous yr for cross completion and the highest 1% for profitable take-ons per 90, however he additionally ranks among the many backside 9% for shot-creating actions and simply the highest 71% for progressive passes per 90.

Cristian Romero, on the opposite facet of the central defence, is much extra rounded and vigorous in his performances, and whereas this reality doesn’t negate Van de Ven’s sensible marketing campaign and college for high-quality output, it bears testomony to Tapsoba’s enjoying type that he would possibly really be a greater stylistic match.

From the desk above it may be inferred that whereas each gamers are spectacular, Tapsoba is extra lively and enterprising in his efficiency, if not so crisp in defensive clashes. He provides extra key passes and has a better price of profitable dribbles – definitely concept for ‘Ange-ball’.

The truth that the Bayer Leverkusen phenom is nearly on par with Van de Ven in his distribution accuracy whereas being much more keen to take dangers and carve open gaps for the forwards to take advantage of is outstanding.

Based mostly on all of this, it is likely to be a terrific transfer for Tottenham to forge forward and safe Tapsoba’s providers, augmenting the squad with a different-styled star to proceed the expansion below new management.

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