Mourinho’s ‘Zidane’ dumped? Spurs make bold midfield call

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been closing in on his move away from White Hart Lane. The Dane midfielder has been linked with leaving Spurs owing to a lack of minutes under his belt in the last season.

The 28-year-old signed for Tottenham in 2020 for £15 million following his impressive performances for Southampton when Jose Mourinho was in charge at Hotspur Way.

Hojbjerg has been an integral squad member and has played an important role for the club under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. He was not only the shining armour in the middle of the park but also ensured that the game ran through him. Now this becomes critical when you understand that he can dictate the pace of the games and the ability to ensure that the balls travel into the offensive sequences in a particular way.

He is one of the rare gems of the modern era who understands the importance of creating a web of passes to open space and having the ball travel in a low-risk environment.

He did these things exceptionally well for Spurs under Mourinho and Conte, two managers who love to have passers at the heart of their field. 

Hojbjerg is technically apt, and he carried Spurs through some of the toughest times and situations.

In an interview, Mourinho compared him to Zidane, which shows how highly he rates the Danish maestro.

Mourinho’s mastermind Hojbjerg struggles to fit into Postecoglou’s system

Ange Postecoglou came to Tottenham with fresh ideas and wanted to implement a fast-playing game that plays as a unit. He implemented a high press and counter-press, complemented by fast offensive sequences.

The Australian gaffer’s style of play demands a mobile midfielder who can grind through the ninety minutes, and that is something you cannot expect from an ageing Hojbjerg. 

He is a passer of the ball and a technically elegant player, but he is not a runner and, defensively, not someone who can grind with aggressive high presses and a fast game.

This is why the club is moving on to midfielders like Conor Gallagher or Scott McTominay, who can grind out through the games.

More Tottenham Hotspur News:

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• Tottenham set to battle Arsenal for €25m Spaniard; player will be a backup at both clubs
• Tottenham willing to offer lucrative £96,000-a-week to sign EURO champion

It is sad to watch a player of his class leave. He has been a great servant to the club. We want to take this opportunity to wish him the best for his career ahead.