Considering Tottenham Hotspur were without Harry Kane for the first time in a decade last season, Ange Postecoglou did a reasonably good job in securing Europa League football in his first campaign in charge.
However, at one point in the season, it looked as if Champions League football was a forgone conclusion before injuries and a downturn in form saw them fall away.
Therefore, to ensure the Australian can lead the team back into the top four next year, Daniel Levy and Co must provide him with a reliable and prolific number nine.
Lucky for him, it looks like that may be happening, as the latest player touted for a move to N17 was on fire last season and could be a dream teammate for Son Hueng-min – although Spurs aren’t the only side interested.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent BBC Sport report, Tottenham are one of several Premier League teams interested in signing LOSC Lille’s star striker Jonathan David this summer.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims Chelsea, West Ham United and Manchester United are keen to bring the Canadian international to England in the coming weeks.
The good news for Levy and Co is that the 24-year-old’s contract expires next summer, so the Ligue 1 star is supposedly available for just £30m with journalist Graeme Bailey suggesting in a separate report that Spurs have even lodged an enquiry to discover more about the terms of a potential deal.
It might be a challenge to get ahead of the other interested parties, but considering the Lilywhites’ need for a reliable goalscorer and the bargain price David is available for, this is a deal the club cannot miss out on, and alongside Son, he could be unreal.
Why David would be a great teammate for Son
While he used to play as an attacking midfielder for KAA Gent in Belgium, David is now an out-and-out number nine for Lille, and while many modern-day strikers start out wide here and there, all 42 starts for the Canadian international came down the middle last season.
Some managers might consider this a weakness as it could reduce their tactical flexibility, but this would likely be a positive for Spurs.
After a season of starting Son and Richarlison either down the middle or on the wings, having a player with a clear preference and optimal position can only help Postecoglou optimise his team.
Moreover, while Richarlison has looked okay as the starting striker, the “insane” Lille ace, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has looked incredible, which takes us to the main reason he’d be a great teammate for the Lilywhites captain: his goals.
In just 47 games for Les Dogues last season, the “mind-blowing” poacher, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 26 goals and provided nine assists, meaning he provided a goal involvement every 1.34 games. In contrast, the North Londoners Brazilian forward scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 31 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 1.93 games.
David vs Richarlison |
||
---|---|---|
Players |
David |
Richarlison |
Appearances |
47 |
31 |
Goals |
26 |
12 |
Assists |
9 |
4 |
Goal Involvements per Match |
0.74 |
0.51 |
All Stats via Transfermarkt |
So, not only is the 24-year-old a more significant goal threat than the former Everton ace, but he’s also a more creative player. Therefore, if he was to start the majority of games down the middle next season, there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t help the South Korean superstar supercharge his tally of 17 goals and, most crucially, ten assists from last season – especially as Understat have him down as underperforming his expected assists figure by 3.34 in the league.
Ultimately, David has been scoring for fun in France for a few years now, and adding a striker as clinical as himself to Postecoglou’s ultra-attacking system this summer can only help the Lilywhites improve in attack next season while also helping Son reach another level in terms of goals and assists to boot.
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