Tottenham Hotspur have added some shrewd signings to Thomas Frank’s fledgling project this summer, Mohammed Kudus adding flair to the widths and Joao Palhinha bringing some steely mettle to the engine room.
However, Heung-min Son has completed a £20m transfer to LAFC in the United States, and James Maddison has ruptured his ACL and will be sidelined for the lion’s share of the season.
Spurs have issues in midfield and attack, but Daniel Levy might be convinced to add another signing to his team’s backline, even though Cristian Romero looks set to stay amid interest from Atletico Madrid.
Spurs eyeing Serie A raid
Tottenham have had a lot of success in raiding the Italain top flight for talented up-and-comers in recent years, with the likes of Romero and Destiny Udogie springing to mind.
However, Dejan Kulusevski might be the cream of that crop, having hit his stride last season and made good on praise from football scout Jacek Kulig that he is a “world-class talent”.
Now, Tottenham are ready to repeat their trick by raiding one of the Serie A superpowers for another elite player, with sights set on AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw.
According to Caught Offside, Spurs and Arsenal have joined the race for the German centre-back, with Newcastle United already displaying a vested interest this month.
Thiaw, 24, has been the subject of a new €40m (£34m) offer from Newcastle, and while negotiations are understood to be advancing quickly, the Magpies have failed to sign a litany of targets this summer, and Tottenham could be primed to complete a hijack.
Why Spurs want Malick Thiaw
Having joined Milan from Schalke three years ago, Thiaw has made 85 appearances for his Italian side, bringing a dynamic defensive skill set to the squad.
Both crisp and enterprising with his passing, Thiaw ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, and the top 14% for progressive passes played per 90, as per FBref.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
He’s also been hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio, so would bring some substance to the team, ensuring some defensive solidity is found where such went lacking last year.
Given that Micky van de Ven and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate are considered two of his most comparable players, it feels like Frank could hit the jackpot with this one, emulating the deal for Kulusevski and allowing him to grow into one of the Premier League’s superstars.
Tottenham signed Kulusevski from Juventus on an initial loan in January 2022, wrapping a move up 18 months later for a shrewd £25m fee (a similar ballpark to Thiaw now).
|
Dejan Kulusevski – Tottenham Career by Season (all comps) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Goals |
Assists |
|
24/25 |
50 |
10 |
11 |
|
23/24 |
39 |
8 |
3 |
|
22/23 |
37 |
2 |
8 |
|
21/22 |
19 |
5 |
8 |
|
Data via Transfermarkt |
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Last season, the 25-year-old Kulusevski finally struck a balance between his output, with Ange Postecoglou shifting him into a central attacking midfield berth to an emphatic effect.
Not just a potent attacking threat, the Sweden international’s energy and tenacity fed the belief of his teammates, and he was often a shining light throughout a challenging, albeit ultimately rewarding, season.
He averaged 4.1 successful duels and 1.4 tackles per league match, as per Sofascore, and added much to the Ange system when it needed him most.
In Thiaw, Spurs could repeat the trick, signing a rising talent who has more than his position demands of him. It’s one that Tottenham need to get over the line as they head back onto the Champions League stage.
