After a fairly disappointing start to the 2016-17 campaign, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has something to work upon. Well, it is fair to say that the Londoners lacked the spirit of the 2015-16 season and more importantly, Everton were the sharpest side in the encounter. Ronald Koeman’s men were exploiting every single chance they were getting, and Tottenham, well, they were nowhere near to their best.
Now, according to the reports, a new name out of nowhere has popped out on the screens. It is safe to say that the fans are crying out for more transfers are eager to see a strengthened squad.
So, according to the reports from The Sun, Tottenham have lined up a £13m bid for Sporting Lisbon and Portugal star Adrien Silva. Many believed that the inclusion of Wanyama in the midfield was more than enough for Spurs’, but it seems like the manager is having a different idea. With the players like Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason looking all set to leave the club, Adrien Silva might come as a blessing in disguise.
The same source has stated that Everton and AC Milan are also interested in the player, but the player might end up joining the Lilly-Whites if a concrete offer is placed.
Who is Adrien Silva?
Born in France to a Portuguese father, Adrien started his footballing career at the age of 10 with the French side Bordeaux, but a year later, his family settled in Portugal. There, Silva spent two seasons with a local club Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Paçô. In 2002, the midfielder was signed by Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.
Silva, at the age of 15, along with Portuguese under-16 teammates Ricardo Fernandes and Fábio Ferreira, was scouted by Chelsea and the trio was supposed to travel to London, but the deal was called off, but Fernandes and Ferreira eventually did sign.
In 2007, the Portuguese signed his first professional contract with sporting and four months later, he was officially promoted to the first team. In his very first season with the club, the midfielder made 15 goalless appearances, and since then, his growth has been seemingly observed.
In 2010, the Portuguese was sent on loan to the Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, which was nothing more than a horror show for the midfielder. In the following season, Silva was loaned to Portuguese club Académica, and this is where his career began to take off. He played 39 games for the side, scoring nine goals. At the beginning of the 2012-13 season, he returned to Sporting and eventually cemented his place in the starting spot.
Style of Play-
Silva is known to play in a three man midfield. During his initial time, he was deployed at the centre of the pitch alongside Andre Martins and William Carvalho, who played as a defensive midfielder. Playing in a three man midfield, Silva developed his skills on the ball and had an immense control on it.
Capable of playing at every central zone, Silva told Portuguese football publication Record in July 2012 that he prefers to play as a ‘number 10.’
Adrien is capable of making some threatening, forward runs with the ball and is also efficient at picking out some defence-splitting passes. Capable of operating as a defensive midfielder as well, many believe that his true potential only comes out when deployed in a more attacking position.
He is a mature personnel on the field, who knows how to link the entire team. Thanks to his brilliant work-rate, Adrien always falls back to support the defenders and due to his muscular physique, the 27-year-old can efficiently outmuscle many opponents. He is surely an unknown personnel amidst fans from the UK, but his presence on the field is something that could easily benefit Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham.
