Three Sensible Signings Tottenham Should Make In January
Close to three months into the new season, Tottenham have once again made a strong start. Sitting third in the Premier League table after 10 gameweeks and joint-top in the UEFA Champions League group that also consists of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, Spurs have been impressive once again, with the likes of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen shining bright along with new signing Davinson Sanchez.
Despite the positives, there seem to be some holes in the squad that might need addressing in January, if Mauricio Pochettino’s side are to sustain their title challenge until the very end. Serious injuries to Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele have somewhat thinned the options in the middle of the park, whereas a winger still remains high on Poch’s shopping list. With the January window a couple of months away, here we take a look at three sensible signings that could help the Lilywhites.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
Both the Manchester clubs are reportedly battling for the signature of the Serbian midfielder, but if there is one club that could use the services of the midfielder, it is Tottenham.
The 22-year old had an impressive 2016/17 season for Lazio and has continued his rich vein of form in the ongoing campaign as well. Last season, the Serb scored 7 goals and registered 9 assists in 39 games across all competitions and has already netted 4 times this term while also notching up 2 assists in 14 games in all competitions.
Capable of playing in a box-to-box role or as a No.10, Milinkovic-Savic is strong, athletic, possesses good stamina and energy levels, and has decent pace as well. Strong in challenges on the ground and in the air, and capable of driving his team forward with the ball, the Serbian could be a great addition to any side. With Mousa Dembele ageing and facing fitness issues regularly, a long-term replacement in the form of Milinkovic-Savic would be the perfect solution for the club.
Malcom (Bordeaux)
Despite all their attacking vigour, Tottenham still lack an out and out wide player in the ranks; an old-fashioned winger, who can stretch defences with his pace and directness in the wide areas. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou looks very much like a lost cause and there is no guarantee that Erik Lamela will be the same player he once was, when he returns after a year out on the sidelines.
So, to add that alternate dimension to the attack, a wide man in the form of Malcom could be apt. The highly-rated 20-year old Brazilian winger burst on to the scenes back in 2015 with homeland club Corinthians and Bordeaux snapped him up in January 2016. Last term, the Brazilian managed 9 goals and 7 assists in 45 games across all competitions and has already has 5 goals and 5 assists in 13 appearances in the ongoing season.
Blessed with tremendous amount of pace and good dribbling ability, Malcom has been used in the wide areas, where he can utilise his abilities to the fullest and stretch the opposition defence. The 20-year old can also operate through the middle if needed and has shown a keen eye for goals in his fledgling career.
Cenk Tosun (Besiktas)
While the signing of Fernando Llorente had been met with a lot of optimism among the fans, things haven’t really gone all that well for the Spaniard since his move from Swansea City.
The 32-year old impressed in the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, but was poor in the Carabao Cup loss to West Ham United, post which he was in for heavy criticism. While it is too early to judge his spell in North London, he doesn’t really look like the right fit for Spurs and signing a new striker in January wouldn’t be the worst idea for the club.
One player who has been linked with Spurs recently is Besiktas’ Cenk Tosun. The 26-year old has been in fine form for the Turkish giants, having already netted 8 goals in 13 games this campaign, to build on an excellent last term where he managed 24 goals. An all-round centre-forward with great finishing abilities with both feet, Tosun excels in link-up and hold-up play as well and has proven himself on the European stages too.
Poch tried a two-pronged attack once this season with Harry Kane and Llorente, and if Tosun is signed, Spurs could use that setup more regularly and be a much bigger threat going forward.
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