Tottenham Hotspur’s recent reinforcements have left something to be desired, and despite the team being heroic in winning the Europa League before the summer, their domestic form has been stuck at a lower level than expected for some time, and that needs to change.
But all is not doom and gloom, with £55m summer recruit Mohamed Kudus among the most exciting players in Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites squad.
The Ghanaian winger hasn’t been perfect, but his five assists in the Premier League this season are the best in either division, certainly underscoring his quality as a difference-maker under Frank.
This statistic parallels Tottenham’s creative struggles this season and adds substance to new rumors that Tottenham are planning to sign an even more exciting winger to take Frank’s project below N17.
Spurs lead race to sign new winger
Tottenham are expected to have a busy upcoming transfer window and will need to improve in a number of areas. But there’s no denying that Frank’s front line has been slower than expected, and that has to be a priority.
Kudus is a great addition, but wingers like Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simmons are fooled by the hype. Perhaps this is why the ENIC group aims for the stars.
Indeed, Spanish sources say Tottenham are leading the race to sign Real Madrid star Rodrygo, despite growing interest from Premier League giants.
Rodrygo, 24, has also attracted interest from Liverpool, and Real are open to selling the Brazilian talent, although they would be hoping for the equivalent of £70m.
Why Rodrygo will be successful at Spurs
Rodrigo is currently suffering from a crisis of self-confidence. He has not scored in 30 games in La Liga and has been relegated to the margins of Xabi Alonso’s side.
But let’s not forget that he is a truly special player, with former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric hailing his “world-class” qualities, and whose depth of technical quality far exceeds that of Kudus, who is destructive on the ball but lacks clarity and output.
Rodrigo vs Kudus (last 12 months) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90) | rodrigo | holy |
Number of points scored | 0.32 | 0.14 |
assist | 0.24 | 0.23 |
shot taken | 2.94 | 1.89 |
The action that creates the shot | 4.65 | 3.41 |
touch (to pen) | 6.64 | 3.78 |
Pass completion rate (%) | 85.4 | 78.8 |
progressive path | 4.37 | 2.59 |
progressive carry | 6.00 | 3.44 |
successful take-up | 2.38 | 3.05 |
Number of balls collected | 3.77 | 5.44 |
Data via FBref | ||
Kudus has had a strong start to his career in north London but cannot match Rodrygo’s wide range of skills. After all, the Madrid man is one of the best forwards in the world and his recent departure does not negate that fact.
Rodrigo may not have Kudus’ quickness, as he has a sharper touch on the ball, is more progressive in his passing, and actively advances himself off the dribble, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have dynamic athleticism himself.
What’s more, he has too often been left out on Madrid’s right flank in recent years, leaving him lower down the pecking order than the likes of Vincius Junior and Kylian Mbappé. Right-footed, Rodrigo is at his best and most prolific when playing on the left.
Currently, he has been reduced to a bit-part role, starting only three league games under manager Alonso this season.
It feels like it is a matter of when, not if, Rodrygo will leave the Santiago Bernabéu. While there are a number of high-profile suitors looking to dig Rodrygo out of the hole he’s found himself in, Tottenham have been trying hard for some time and Frank’s project would promise him a leading role.
It will then be up to Rodrigo to prove that he is the real deal. Already, based on the evidence, he is at that stage and this will give him a more influential role than someone like Kudus in N17.
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