Silverware may have remained elusive, but those heady days during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure have looked even brighter amid Tottenham Hotspur’s subsequent woes.
The Argentine side, led by a youthful attacking line consisting of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Christian Eriksen and, of course, Dele Alli, sent the team on numerous occasions and it was fun to watch them in all their glory.
Dele, who signed for MK Dons in February 2015 and arrived in north London six months later, was the last of the famous four to join, but his impact was immediate, finishing his Premier League debut with 18 goals and an assist.
Few teenagers before or after him have achieved such heights in England’s top flight. Will new manager Roberto De Zerbi help Tottenham’s current squad achieve similar growth?
Why De Zerbi could become Pochettino 2.0 at Spurs
Spurs have tried everything when it comes to managerial changes, particularly in recent years, from Ange Postecoglou’s almost kamikaze style to Thomas Frank’s pragmatism to Igor Tudor’s old-school approach.
Poch (Saints) vs De Zerbi (Brighton) | ||
|---|---|---|
Pocchi | status | Written by Zerbi |
528 | Responsible day | 651 |
60 | match | 89 |
twenty three | victory | 38 |
18 | draw | 20 |
19 | loss | 31 |
33 | Players used | 42 |
1.45 | Points per game | 1.51 |
In De Zerbi, the Lilywhites may have found someone closer to Pochettino in that respect, a manager with an orientation towards attacking football but with greater control than was seen during Postecoglou’s turbulent tenure.
For example, in the 2022/23 season, Brighton & Hove Albion of Italy finished third in the division in terms of average possession per game, with the team building up from the back and diving in for the final third goal.
The approach in terms of formation also bears a striking resemblance to Pochettino’s reign, with De Zerbi typically favoring a 4-2-3-1 and deploying something like a natural No. 9 as a figurehead, much like Argentina manager Kane.
What is also particularly important is the trust that the 46-year-old has in his youth, just like Pochettino. His time at the Amex coincided with the real rise of Moises Caicedo, who also promoted young Jack Hinshelwood during his almost two-season stay.
De Zerbi gives Tottenham youngster ‘chance to impress’ on key terms
The whole team got a fresh start under the Italian coach.
The work done so far with potential players should bode well for Spurs’ young core of Xavi Simmons, Archie Gray and Lukas Bergvall, as well as players who could feature next season.
De Zerbi could soon unleash Spurs’ next Dele
In Dele’s case, Spurs jumped in early to sign the then 18-year-old in a whopping £5m deal midway through the 2014-15 season, with the Englishman only having joined Pochettino’s ranks that summer.
Having finished his final season at Milton Keynes with 23 goals and assists in 39 League One games, his stock has already skyrocketed since the deal was agreed, with supporters no doubt keenly following his progress and waiting to see him in action in north London.
So far, Luka Vusković’s story seems to have a similar vibe. The Croatian teenager is already being tipped to become a superstar at Spurs, much like Dell before him, despite not having played an actual game for the club so far.
However, the wait is even longer for centre-backs, with the £12m deal for the then Hajduk Split player confirmed to be backdated to September 2023, ahead of a move scheduled for 2025.
Vusković then spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Belgian side Westerlo, scoring seven league goals from the defense, before taking another step up in the summer when he signed for Hamburg, this time from Spurs.
The 19-year-old has been highly praised in the Bundesliga and it is safe to say that his latest loan move has been a success as he has once again proven himself to be such an asset in both boxes, scoring five goals in 25 Bundesliga games so far.
The defensive giant, in particular, wins 75% of his aerial duels per match and 69% of all his encounters, while Micky van de Ven, back in north London, averages just 45% and 53% respectively in the same two metrics.
Such form has already sparked rumors that he could be sold before he has even kicked a ball at Tottenham amid talks of a £60m asking price, but in Vuskovic’s own words it appears he is keen to return to his parent club this summer.
“In football, you never know,” Vuskovic said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “It could happen next year or in 10 years. I don’t want to promise anything to anyone.
“After this season, I will be a Tottenham player again. My contract runs until 2030.”
Like Dele before him, the teenager could very well quickly make a splash in the N17 under De Zerbi, especially with both Van de Ven and Cristian Romero struggling this season.
Vuskovic, who European football expert Andy Brassell believes could become captain while he waits, could well prove worth the wait.
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