Tottenham Hotspur are set to embark on a busy summer transfer window to shape their squad to suit Ange Postecoglou’s needs and that means some changes in attack.
Spurs signed the 57-year-old Australian this month and he arrives with a very specific style of play, using fast and furious possession, supported by pressing high up the pitch to win the ball back quickly. His preferred 4-3-3 system at the clubs will require Tottenham to make a number of changes to a squad built for different managers with different philosophies and most recently a wing-back trio with Antonio Conte.
soccer.london takes a look at what is needed at Spurs and what the plans are at the club to overhaul the squad for Postecoglou. We will focus on the midfield and attack today, while the second part tomorrow will delve into the defensive end of the pitch and the search for a successor to Hugo Lloris and new centre-backs, as well as exits.
When it comes to Tottenham’s midfield and attack, the two priorities this summer are understood to be a new attacking midfielder for the center of the pitch as well as a winger to operate further up the flank.
The Postecoglou midfield three often operates with a number six pivot who collects the ball from defense and sprays it around the pitch and then two number eights who will operate in box-to-box roles and look to drive up to support the center forward. on every occasion.
Spurs have plenty of players who can fulfill the pivot role, but fewer who can operate in the two more offensive positions. Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma can operate in one of the three midfield positions in a Postecoglou system, while Oliver Skipp can sit in the deeper anchor role.
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Postecoglou is expected to make a decision on the future of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who despite his increased attacking output last season is not as naturally suited to either midfield role. Bayern Munich are believed to have some interest in bringing the Denmark international back to the Bundesliga if Spurs and Hojbjerg decide to part ways.
Young midfielder Pape Matar Sarr has developed steadily at the club and the new boss will have a good look at the 20-year-old Senegalese international in pre-season to see how effective he can be in the number eight role.
Another youngster, 18-year-old midfielder Alfie Devine, could end up with a place on Tottenham’s tour of Australia and Asia next month before a decision is made on whether he should now be loaned out to get regular starts. The lack of European football at Spurs next season means minutes will be scarce for some squad players to impress.
Postecoglou approved the £25.6m signing of Dejan Kulusevski on a permanent deal from Juventus this week and the 23-year-old Swede is another who could be converted into the number eight role if required.
The new Tottenham manager also switches his formation to a 4-2-3-1 system at times and soccer.london understands Spurs are looking to sign someone who can come in and offer a versatile option for both systems. That is why they are involved in the picture with Newcastle to acquire James Maddison from Leicester City.
The 26-year-old can play in a variety of roles in a three in midfield, in the center of a three behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 or on the right of a front three.
In the 2021/22 season, Maddison was directly involved in 30 goals for the Foxes with 18 goals and 12 assists, while in his last injury-fragmented campaign, within a relegation-fighting team, he still managed 10 goals and nine assists in 32 games.
Postecoglou is believed to like Maddison and both men also happen to be represented by the same agency, CAA Base, who have a growing presence at Spurs with key first-team players like Son Heung-min, Richarlison and Pedro Porro and many of the academy’s most talented as well youngsters including Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett and Jamie Donley.
Among other goals, and although more inexperienced, soccer.london understands that Tottenham have asked to be kept informed of the situation with Bristol City star Alex Scott, who turns 20 this summer. The Championship club are believed to want a fee in the region of £20m for the young central midfielder, who has two years left on his contract. Spurs are not the only Premier League club looking at Scott, who can also play on the right of midfield, with other teams in the English top flight and in Europe looking at the England Under-20 star.
In terms of exits, Postecoglou is expected to take a good look at Tanguy Ndombele first before making a decision on the Frenchman, who has two years left on his contract. Both Napoli, where he was on loan, and Fenerbahce, among others, have shown an interest in the 26-year-old for next season, but Spurs are likely to struggle to come close to even half of the £60m fee at this stage. agreed for Ndombele in 2019 from Lyon.
There has always been a hope at Tottenham that Ndombele will eventually repay their faith in him and he would fit a couple of roles with Postecoglou’s midfield. But to do so he would have to buy into the relentless, high-energy nature of the Australian’s football.
Argentina international Giovani Lo Celso has interest from Aston Villa and Villarreal and is expected to leave the club after his loan season at the latter, as is Harry Winks, who is approaching the final 12 months of his contract with Spurs following his campaign at Sampdoria. Academy product Harvey White, 21, could also be allowed to leave the club if there is not deemed to be a place for him next season in Postecoglou’s immediate plans.
soccer.london understands that Tottenham are also looking to sign a young winger to complement their most experienced attacking stars to adequately fill the gap in the squad following Lucas Moura’s exit as well as Arnaut Danjuma’s exit after the club decided not to sign up. the possibility of signing the Dutch international permanently. Ivan Perisic, who can also play in an advanced role, is tipped to leave the club this summer as he enters the second half of his two-year contract.
Spurs will look to find a young winger who meets Postecoglou’s requirements of having the ability to beat a man with pace or skill, be strong in transition and able to push high up the pitch to regain possession.
Son and Kulusevski can both fit that role perfectly, while Richarlison, who is more of a natural centre-forward in Postecoglou’s system, can also slide out wide if required. Postecoglou will look at Bryan Gil in pre-season following his Europa League winning campaign back at Sevilla to see if the talented 22-year-old can fully adapt to Premier League football as he ticks many of the boxes as the new head coach is. looked for and was one of the strongest players in the club during last summer’s pre-season camp in South Korea.
Although slightly older than the age group, Tottenham are believed to be looking for a new winger, they have a strong interest in Harvey Barnes, who has scored 13 goals and three assists from the left wing for Leicester despite their struggles this season. Last campaign, the 25-year-old managed 25 appearances for the Foxes with 11 goals and 14 assists in 47 games.
Spurs have explored a double deal for both Barnes and Maddison, although the club continue to claim that no such bid has yet been made. Tottenham are also looking at other young alternative wingers who can play on either flank.
Up front, there is less need for a new striker with the options currently available.
Tottenham continue to maintain that they have no intention of selling Harry Kane this summer, especially to another Premier League club. He is currently expected to remain in north London next season in the absence of any foreign side showing a willingness at this stage to spend the large sum of money for a soon-to-be 30-year-old in the final year of his contract to even start turn the heads of the Spurs.
Spurs are still hoping to tie Kane down to a new deal at the club where he is their all-time top scorer, and that Postecoglou’s football and a system that will give the England captain plenty of chances will see him enjoy the season ahead.
For Kane, if he does not put pen to paper, he would hold his future in his hands next summer as a free agent, with options that could even include the prospect of a move to link up with former manager Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea in another hammer blow to the hearts of Tottenham fans.
But for this season, with a lone striker role and Kane and Richarlison both able to play it, and Son also able to play centrally, the club appear to have the position covered. Richarlison fits the thankless, ever-running and pressing role that Kyogo Furuhashi took on for him at Celtic, scoring 34 goals in the process.
Kane has been virtually injury-free over the past three seasons thanks to reducing his workload, so he is unlikely to play such a role, but Postecoglou has also adjusted his system elsewhere in his career to accommodate strikers who prefer to play in a deeper creative position.
Young forwards Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett could also go on the club’s summer tour as they look to impress the Australian and earn themselves first-team minutes rather than another loan move next season.
Postecoglou will have plenty of decisions to make in his first pre-season at the north London club.
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