Tottenham Hotspur can outsmart their rivals yet again as they eye Genoa midfielder – Opinion

Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to strengthen their midfield in the ongoing summer transfer window, and they have been linked with a move to bring Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup, who might end up being an unsung cop for the North Londoners.

The North Londoners will be looking to compound in their midfield this summer, and with Thomas Frank now officially taking charge of the project at Hotspur Way, the club will be looking to prepare a tactical core that will lead into the new tactical era at N17 under the Dane head coach who is known to implement a compact mid-block-orientated structure that evolves between 4-3-3 and 3-5-2. He likes to put a keen emphasis on transitional opportunities and while deploying intelligent pressing, and this is where Frank will need midfielders who have that smart understanding and way of operating complemented by their big lungs.

And he could turn to his countryman Morten Frendrup, given how the Danish midfielder has been putting in some impressive shifts for Genoa in Serie A, where he has shown capabilities to thrive in multiple roles and has been praised for his tactical discipline complemented by his work ethic.

At twenty-four (24), he has shown how he can replicate many of the attributes that Thomas Frank wants in his side, which makes him a more long-term option yet capable of immediate impact, which Daniel Levy would be looking at.

Let’s get an understanding of what sort of attributes Frendrup has…

To start with, he has this high tactical intelligence which helps him read space quite closely with and without the ball whilst closing lanes early in the latter situation. When we are talking about his ability with the ball, I think he is quite progressive, but then he is measured about his passes given how he likes to take up smart options with the players in half space.

But he is absolutely elite when it comes to his work rate and capabilities in presses.

And then you can play him in different roles along the midfield, which can be across lines if a #6 and a #8.

What I think could be a cause of concern is his physicality, given how he is slightly undersized but yet quite aggressive going into duels.

How does Frendrup fit into Thomas Frank’s tactical system at Tottenham?

The Dane head coach is expected to play a hybrid of 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 at Tottenham, which will be much similar to what he deployed at Brentford. And he could use Frendrup in a “Bentancur alternative” role or maybe play him as a hybrid #8/6 given how the 24-year-old brings that box-to-box coverage and could be slotted with a deeper pivot.

When we are thinking about his capabilities in possession, Frendrup can create a 3-2 structure as he drops into the fullback spaces, especially when either Porro or Udogie are playing in an inverted role.

And off the ball, given how he is really good at forcing the opposition into mistakes, he can be used as the first wave of press resistance.

Given how Thomas Frank likes to play with compact lines complemented by deploying a well-coached but aggressive counter-pressing when possession is lost, this is exactly where Frendrup thrives, given how he anticipates second balls while plugging himself into defensive channels, and then once the ball is won, he has that capacity to restart attacks quite quickly.

When he is playing in a low/mid block, the 24-year-old goes a bit narrow to form a compact midfield trio. And given how his ball-winning instincts are top-tier, he uses those instincts in tackles and recoveries while breaking lines through simple carries or using someone in a wall-passer capacity.

Strengths

He has that relentless work rate, and that is why he could be used as a pressing engine and could be ideal for transition-focused football that Thomas Frank wants to play at Tottenham. And given that he rarely gets caught out of position, Frank would really appreciate that tactical discipline in his zonal framework. And given that Genoa might sell for £20–25m, it would be a coup, especially in the current inflated market.

Weaknesses

Now he is not your creative passing midfielder who you can expect to unlock channels and defences, but let’s leave that to Maddison.

As I said before, his aerial presence concerns me, especially given how he can easily get exposed in deeper duels vs tall target men.

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Author Opinion: An ideal system plug for Frankball

Frendrup is the type of midfielder that needs to play in a system but then goes on to make those systems greater. See, the thing is that he is not a player that you build a side around, but he is instead someone that keeps everything together. And Tottenham don’t really need to bring flashy, big-name midfielders. They just need players who can be functional and intelligent whilst protecting zones and going on to retrieve possession and relieve pressure: Frendrup gives you that. He brings the North Londoners some legs and brains to execute the structure that Frank wants to implement at Hotspur Way.