Levy considering Spurs swoop for 45m powerhouse who could send Bissouma packing – opinion
If Tottenham were to sign this Premier League sensation, their midfield would be significantly strengthened.
Ange Postecoglou suffered his second Premier League loss of the season on Thursday night as Tottenham Hotspur were defeated by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
In his post-match reflection, Postecoglou pondered the need of enduring difficult times in order to achieve success, in reference to the defeat against Mauricio Pochettino’s eighth-place team, who had already beaten Spurs twice.
That’s great and all, but there’s a lot of proof that certain players aren’t cut out for this team’s long-term success. We had some early season promise, but injuries and a lack of belief have cast a shadow over our progress.
Chairman Daniel Levy has to make moves, and the N17 team needs to welcome some tough new additions.
Interest from Spurs in Premier League Midfielder
Caught Offside reports that Tottenham and Arsenal are now competing for the services of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, confirming rumours that surfaced in The Telegraph earlier this week that the Lilywhites had also been added to Arsenal’s shortlist.
Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
A flurry of interest in signing Onana has been sparked by reports that Everton would agree to sell him this summer for £45 million, with Newcastle United and La Liga winners Barcelona also expressing interest.
Although his contract with Goodison Park is up until 2027, the Toffees are in need of cash and the 22-year-old Onana is among their most lucrative assets.
The case for Amadou Onana’s signing with Spurs
According to the rumour, Tottenham is planning to sell Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in order to acquire Onana. Serie A clubs AC Milan, Juventus, and Napoli are among the many foreign clubs interested in the Dane, who has a contract that expires at the end of next season and is expected to be transferred. His transfer valuation is £20 million.
Nevertheless, Onana has the ability to unseat Yves Bissouma as Postecoglou’s starting midfielder. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has characterised Onana as a “one-man army” in the heart of the pitch.
While Everton have battled relegation this season and last, Onana’s enormous presence has added the necessary grit and determination. He arrived at Everton from Lille, a French club, for £33 million in August 2022, carrying the weight of expectation after becoming one of the most intriguing rising stars in Ligue 1.
With a strong defensive foundation and an innate ability to win back possession in any situation, Onana is one of the toughest players in Europe. He ranks in the top 5% of midfielders in aerial duels won per 90 according to FBref and among the top 14% of all midfielders in tackles in the top five leagues in Europe over the last year.
In addition to his 12 caps for Belgium, he made his debut in the summer of 2022 and has been hailed as a “midfield powerhouse” by writer and U23 scout Antonio Mango.
There is still a lot of room for improvement at Tottenham, but they have some good foundations to work with. Bringing in Onana would help with the engine room upgrade needed to power Postecoglou’s high-octane system and give the defence a much-needed boost.
Even though he is serving a suspension for a reckless lunging challenge he made against Nottingham Forest in December, Bissouma has been under growing criticism for his poor performances since his January departure to the African Cup of Nations with Mali, during which he had a run of solid play. Bissouma is Tottenham’s starting holding midfielder.
| PL 23/24: Amadou Onana vs Yves Bissouma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Onana | Bissouma |
| Matches played | 27 | 26 |
| Matches started | 21 | 24 |
| Goals | 2 | 0 |
| Pass completion | 85% | 92% |
| Touches per game | 45.3 | 80.0 |
| Key passes per game | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Tackles per game | 2.2 | 2.9 |
| Ball recoveries per game | 5.5 | 4.4 |
| Dribbles per game | 0.4 (61%) | 1.0 (73%) |
| Duels won per game | 5.9 (65%) | 5.7 (59%) |
| Yellow cards | 5 | 8 |
| Red cards | 0 | 2 |
| All stats via Sofascore | ||
Postecoglou has been hesitant to start Bissouma this season, but that’s because he doesn’t have many reliable options. Hojbjerg isn’t very mobile, and Oliver Skipp doesn’t have what it takes to be a first-team regular; Perry Groves said that the two “don’t do anything” last season.
It is important to note a few things when comparing and contrasting the sets of measurements shown above. One, Bissouma is over five years Bissouma’s junior, but Onana has a full complement of skills that will enable her to outshine the Malian. The Blues star is more direct and forceful while tackling, and he also recovers possession and closes down opponents with more vigour and activity. Three: Bissouma’s disciplinary record makes it impossible for him to establish fluidity, but he is a lot calmer under pressure.
Is it possible that Tottenham’s starting left back has just experienced an incredible run of form at the beginning of the season, but that it won’t last? His weaknesses and flaws have become even more apparent, and they’re now preventing the Lilywhites from reclaiming their place among Europe’s elite.
When Bissouma is on his game, he has the innate technical skill and an air of confidence that makes him an absolute sensation. In the middle of the park, however, his impact and control are erratic and uneven.
If the Spurs are serious in signing the Goodison Park sensation Onana, selling Hojbjerg may be the way to go, according to reports.
If Tottenham wants to be even more famous and successful than they have been in the previous few decades, then they need to take risks and make bold declarations that show the other divisional heavyweights that they are on the rise.
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