25-year-old Algerian star could be a solid replacement for Yves Bissouma at Tottenham – Opinion

The North Londoners have been looking to compound their options in the middle of the park as Daniel Levy looks to bring depth and quality into his roster with Thomas Frank taking charge of the new era at Hotspur Way, and the chiefs at N17 look to bring some depth in the middle of this park. The Dane head coach will be looking to bring someone who has that system intelligence complemented by tactical ability as he looks to replace Yves Bissouma, who has been inconsistent over the past few years at N17.

And as the Lilywhites look to bring in someone who most of the Premier League watchers would not be familiar with, they look to sign Algerian star who has been taking strides in Belgian football of late and is more of a fit into Thomas Frank’s system. And this is where the name of 25‑year‑old Sporting Charleroi midfielder Adem Zorgane comes up, and to be fair, he has taken massive strides in his game since moving to the Belgian Jupiler Pro League in 2021 and has transformed himself into one of the most reliable number #6s in the league.

The North Londoners scouted the 25-year-old in the recently concluded campaign and were blown away by his quality, especially in the game against KVC Westerlo in May when the Lilywhites representatives were making the trip to keep close eyes on Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic.

And there have been reports suggesting that Zorgane has already communicated his desire to leave to his current employers, and Sporting Charleroi are not expected to stand in his way.

And for Tottenham this looks like a smart opportunity which Daniel Levy can consider, given that the 63-year-old can financially blow other competitors out of the water, complemented by the current need of the hour to bring someone in the roster who is capable of protecting the backline and structuring the possession phases.

Let’s get into Zorgane as a player, given that many of the Premiership regulars won’t be familiar with his attributes…

He is someone who is quite energetic and capable of winning the ball, especially given the high frequency of tackles and how aggressively he goes about his pressing, which makes him ideal for breaking transitional situations. And then he is somebody who is always available, given that he missed only 21 minutes of football last season, and Thomas Frank will really value this availability (which also makes him a dependable option in a way).

Moreover, when facing pressure, he is a strong personnel to have, given how he has the ability to retain possession with passes and low-risk turns. And having someone like this ahead of your defensive line adds much calmness and control and relatively also helps more creative #8s to flourish, which can end up being key in Frank’s structure-focused football.

And then the fact that he has been captaining Charleroi and has that exposure in Champions League playoffs also shows that he can bring a sense of leadership ability despite his young age.

But then we have to remember that he is not a high-risk, line-breaking passer, so the North Londoners supporters cannot expect him to create chances given that he has more of a stabiliser profile than a creator. And he is someone who works best in a single pivot, and he may end up being overshadowed in sequences that need two #8s.

How can Zorgane fit under Thomas Frank at Tottenham?

Given that the Dane head coach likes to deploy a mid-block, the incoming Tottenham head coach may use the 25-year-old as a mid-block shield where he is used as a base of the mid-block triangle, primarily asked to break lines and protect the back line. And he closes down deep zones, so in a way he is preventing overloads in areas like Zone 14.

And he could be the transition balance that fits into the North Londoners system under Frank, given how, after ball recovery, the Algerian has shown composure and reliability, which makes sure that the North Londoners keep hold of the ball and then he can be the pass trigger to start those offensive sequences.

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Author Opinion

Adem Zorgane is made for the profile that the Lilywhites need at the moment, especially given how the Algerian will end up matching the playing style that Thomas Frank wants to implement under Thomas Frank. And as I have said before, these names don’t need to be flashy to make an impact, and the fact that he gives that balance and needed energy in a more advanced midfield role helps him flourish at N17.