Spurs make “generational” £60m star a priority signing

The closest Tottenham Hotspur have come to winning the Premier League in generations was under Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine’s best team may have ended up being less successful than Ange Postecoglou’s current side – trophy-wise, anyway – but it was stacked with some outrageously talented players.

The likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and a young Son Heung-min will always get the plaudits from those outside of the fanbase, and understandably so, but the Lilywhites faithful know full well that Mousa Dembélé was just as important to that side.

The Belgian was an utterly superb central midfielder, so supporters should be excited about recent reports linking the team to a youngster who has shades of the retired monster about him.

Spurs midfield targets

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other central midfielders who have been touted for moves to Spurs in recent weeks, like Quinten Timber and Angel Gomes.

The former is the brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, the captain of Feyenoord, reportedly worth £25m and could be an ideal addition to the squad, as he’s capable of playing in attacking, central and defensive midfield.

Likewise, Gomes could be a sensational signing as, thanks to his contract with LOSC Lille expiring this month, he’ll be available for nothing, and at just 24 years old, he already has experience of national team football, the Champions League and top-flight football in both Portugal, France and England.

Yet, neither one of these internationals could really be described as having shades of Dembélé to them, unlike Adam Wharton.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Crystal Palace star is now a serious target for the North Londoners.

The report has revealed that the club are ‘prioritizing a central midfield’ signing this season, and the young Englishman ‘figures highly on their shortlist.’

However, it won’t be an easy deal to get done, as the Eagles are after upwards of £60m for the midfield maestro, but even then, with his ability and potential, that may be a fee worth paying for Spurs, especially as he could emulate parts of Dembélé’s game.

How Wharton compares to Dembélé

So, before the pitchforks and torches come out, it’s important to state that we are not saying that Wharton is currently as good a player as Dembélé was during his pomp at Spurs, as that would just be silly.

However, given the fact that he’s still just 21 years old and will be until midway through next season, it’s not that out there to suggest he could reach that level in time, especially as there are some similarities between the pair.

The first, and perhaps most significant, is the fact that the Palace gem very rarely loses the ball.

In fact, according to FBref, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by members of the media, sits in the bottom 40% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for the frequency he is dispossessed, coming in at just 0.89 times per 90, or, in other words, less than once a game.

A great example of this was in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, as, on top of winning duels, making tackles and playing a number of excellent passes, he was also able to hold onto the ball brilliantly despite the immense amount of pressure Pep Guardiola’s side tried to exert on him.

This ability to keep the ball was one of the Belgian’s most impressive, and it seems like the young Englishman has it in spades.

Then there are the more surface-level comparisons, such as both players coming from a London club – Fulham in Dembélé’s case – and the fact that they could and can play in either central or defensive midfield.

Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money, Spurs should do what they can to sign Wharton this summer, as he looks like he has the raw abilities and ceiling to become the club’s next Dembélé.