The transfer window has been open for over a week now, and while there has been some movement, Tottenham Hotspur have kept their powder dry thus far.
However, recent reports suggest that could be about to change – much to the delight of Ange Postecoglou.
Daniel Levy and Co look to have their sights set on an incredibly exciting youngster from the continent who could form a fantastic partnership with Dejan Kulusevski and help the team climb back up the Premier League table.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are incredibly keen on Feyenoord’s star right-back, Lutsharel Geertruida, so much so that they have already offered him a contract.
The report claims that the offer is a long-term deal that runs to either 2029 or 2030 and that to tempt the Eredivisie side to sell, the Lilywhites may have to pay a fee of around €25m, which converts to £21m.
Alongside the North Londoners, the story has claims that Liverpool are also interested in the player, but nothing has been said about how advanced they are in their pursuit.
In all, it could be a tricky transfer to get over the line with the outside interest, but considering his performances last season and the reasonable price, one well worth pursuing – especially as his combination with Kulusevski could be unreal.
Why Geertruida would be a great teammate for Kulusevski
In the 2022/23 season, Kulusevski managed to rack up a haul of two goals and eight assists in 37 games, while last season, he did slightly better and returned eight goals and three assists in 39 games, but he has yet to match or surpass his 2021/22 tally of seven goals and 11 assists.
It would be fair to say, then, that considering how talented the Swede is, he has yet to hit his potential in North London, which is where Geertruida could potentially come in to help.
Able to play across the backline, U23 scout Antonio Mango claims the Dutchman possesses a great deal of “tactical nous and football IQ,” which helps him excel defensively. However, he’s also a fantastic attacking full-back, which could really help the Lilywhites winger.
In his 47 games for Feyenoord last season, the “impeccable” 23-year-old, as dubbed by Mango, scored nine goals and provided five assists, which is one more goal involvement than Pedro Porro managed last term, suggesting that this signing could also be a great way of getting even more out of the Spaniard at the same time.
According to WhoScored, two of the Rotterdam-born star’s most significant strengths are his passing and ability to hold on to the ball, which marries up well with Mango’s description of him possessing “monumental composure” and FBref’s genuinely impressive scout report, which comes from looking at players in similar positions across the next best 14 competitions and ranking players on specific metrics.
|
Geertruida FBref scout report |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
per 90 |
Percentile |
|
Non-Penalty Goals |
0.21 |
Top 1% |
|
Non-Penalty Expected Goal |
0.22 |
Top 1% |
|
Non-Penalty Expected Goals and Assists |
0.37 |
Top 1% |
|
Pass Completion |
89.6% |
Top 1% |
|
Progressive Passes |
7.94 |
Top 1% |
|
Passes Attempted |
69.47 |
Top 5% |
|
Total Shots |
1.16 |
Top 10% |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
2.96 |
Top 15% |
|
All Stats via FBref |
||
For example, they have placed the 6 foot 1 titan in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, non-penalty expected goals, non-penalty goals plus expected assists, pass completion and progressive passes, the top 5% for passes attempted, the top 10% for shots total and the top 15% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.
Ultimately, Geertruida is both a competent defender and an incredible attack-minded full-back who might be able to help Kulusevski reach his true potential by forming a deadly partnership with him on the Lilywhites’ right-flank under Postecoglou’s progressive management.
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