There is a need to bring in a new midfielder at N17, and Daniel Levy has been fortifying interest in bringing Real Betis ace Johnny Cardoso to Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming summer transfer window, given that the Lilywhites have a first refusal option on the USMNT midfielder. Spurs got this option in the last summer window when Levy sanctioned Giovani Lo Celso’s sale to the Spanish giants; this aids the Premier League heavyweights to secure his signature for a fee of around €25 million at the end of the ongoing campaign.
With the aforementioned clause, Tottenham will have an opportunity to land Cardoso on a bargain deal, especially given how impressive he has been in La Liga this season.
Cardoso is not fazed by any transfer rumors
While the North Londoners hold an option to make his arrival a permanent one, he remains focused on his role at Betis and is not preoccupied with thoughts of a move to the English top tier, as he insists that he is leaving those talks to his father and agent instead.
In an interview with AS via SportWitness, Cardoso said:
“I don’t think about it; it’s in the hands of my father and my agent. I try to enjoy myself and to evolve. Things will happen if my performance in the team is good.”
How does Johnny Cardoso fit in at Tottenham?
We all know how Ange Postecoglou likes to deploy a high line with an attacking mindset, and having someone like Cardoso at the base is exactly what the Australian head coach would want. The 23-year-old can be a shield to the backline when the Lilywhites are on the receiving end of a transition, and more so, he would allow fullbacks (Porro/Udogie) to push higher and cover those spaces when the ball is lost in the final third.
And having a presence at the base would allow the likes of Maddison to focus on the offensive side of the game, something that he really needs to do to start thriving at N17.
Having Cardoso in the midfield would be the balance that Spurs supporters have been shouting all season for. He tends to prioritise safe progression with horizontal passes, which is different from what we have generally seen under Postecoglou (the USMNT midfielder is bottom 12% for progressive passes).
Johnny has the physical tools to succeed in the Premier League, but if we speak about ball carrying and driving into zones to influence sequences, he rarely does so as he relies on quick passes after evading pressure, and this can be a positive under Postecoglou given how he can use bodies around him to drive attack.
The question remains…
The question remains: should Tottenham be looking to sign Johnny Cardoso? To put this into context, he has had flashes of huge potential this campaign, and he would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Lilywhites.
He would introduce that defensive solidity the club so desperately needs while also having room to develop into a Premier League-standard midfielder. And while his creativity is limited, Ange can pair him alongside progressive passers that could help bring that much-needed balance at N17. More importantly, his tactical discipline and skill set that he possesses make him an ideal fit in the current system. It should be one of those no-brainer signings.
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Do you think Tottenham should sign Johnny Cardoso? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
