Tottenham have to address their left-wing problems in the summer.
Tottenham Hotspur stunned their supporters when they raided bitter London rivals West Ham for Mohammed Kudus last summer. The lure of Champions League football was too good to resist for Kudus, and he decided to swap West Ham for Spurs.
The Ghanaian international was Tottenham’s most productive player in the first half of the season amid their struggles going forward. His quad injury against Sunderland at home in January was one of the primary reasons for the team’s dip in performance levels and results, and Spurs did try to fill Kudus’ void by raiding West Ham once again.
Tottenham explored the signing of West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville during the January transfer window. The diminutive attacker emerged on their radar after he tormented the Lilywhites in West Ham’s 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the same month. However, the Hammers were reluctant to lose one of their key players midway through the season, and he stayed put.
Tottenham could go for Crysencio Summerville if West Ham gets relegated
Crysencio Summerville has arguably been West Ham’s best player in an otherwise torrid campaign. The Hammers were cruelly beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday, which left them stranded in 18th spot with two games to spare. They are in an intense relegation battle with Tottenham, who host Leeds United in a crucial encounter on Monday evening.
The Dutchman’s strong form has piqued the interest of several clubs across Europe. Tottenham remain admirers of the 24-year-old’s talent and could revisit a deal when the transfer window reopens next month. Should West Ham get relegated, Spurs could compound their misery by pushing for Summerville.
“Yeah, I think there’d be more than just Tottenham who would be looking at Crysencio Summerville,” Pete O’Rourke exclusively said on the Inside Track podcast (h/t Football Insider).
“West Ham don’t want to lose Summerville, if they go down, it’ll be a real uphill task to keep hold of him.
“Tottenham have had a long-term interest in the Dutchman, and I’m sure if they can stay up at the expense of West Ham, they’ll be hoping that they could maybe lure him away. There’ll be a lot of Premier League clubs who will be looking at the tricky winger hoping that he could be snapped up and capitalise on West Ham’s potential relegation.
“For West Ham though, the vultures will come calling for their top players if they do suffer relegation, and Summerville will be one of those players who will be in huge demand.”
Tottenham could rub salt in West Ham’s wounds by going all out for Summerville
One of Tottenham’s major concerns this season has been the lack of creativity and goals from the wingers. Following the legendary Son Heung-min’s departure last August, the North Londoners have struggled to produce consistent output from the left flank and cause the opposition problems.
It comes as little surprise that the club are now keen to address this glaring issue in the squad, and someone like Summerville would be a brilliant fit. The 24-year-old will add pace, flair, dynamism, goals and creativity to the team. He can operate as an attacking midfielder or a wide forward, and such flexibility would be welcomed by Roberto De Zerbi.
Summerville would not want to play in the Championship, so he’d do everything possible to stay in the top flight if West Ham goes down. The opportunity to play for Tottenham could be exciting for the fleet-footed Dutchman, allowing him the continuity required to unlock his true potential. And after signing Kudus last year, Tottenham could rub salt into West Ham’s wounds for the second summer running by luring Summerville away.