The Lilywhites have been linked with an interest in the former Premier League star....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
There is never a guarantee with transfers and Tottenham Hotspur have learned that the hard way over the years as they have not always had the best success with their recruitment…CONTINUE READING>>
However, Ange Postecoglou looks to have enjoyed a fantastic first transfer window in charge of the club as a number of his signings have hit the ground running this season.
The likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, and Guglielmo Vicario have all instantly become stars for Spurs, although the former two are now set for a spell on the sidelines with their respective injury issues.
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Tottenham need to nail their recruitment and bring in a constant stream of quality players who can make an immediate impact on the pitch if they want to finally compete for silverware and challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for major honours in England, and in Europe against the best of the best.
The signing of Maddison was a masterclass by the club as they snapped up a proven Premier League performer in his peak years who could come in and immediately perform to a high level to improve results on the pitch.
Postecoglou could now repeat the blinder he played with that piece of business by securing a deal for a reported target ahead of the January transfer window.
Spurs transfer news – Raphinha
It was recently reported by FootballTransfers that Spurs are looking into a possible swoop to sign Barcelona forward Raphinha at the start of next year.
The outlet claimed that the club have turned their attention away from a deal to sign Brentford centre-forward Ivan Toney and they are now seemingly eyeing up a move for the LaLiga winger to bolster their wide options.
It was stated that the Spanish giants are prepared to cash in on the former Rennes prospect if they receive an offer within the region of €70m (£61m). However, it remains to be seen whether or not Tottenham are willing to meet their demands at this moment in time.
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Barcelona are said to have an interest in Cristian Romero but a swap deal is unlikely as they need cash to ease their own financial situation, whilst there is also no mention of Spurs being open to moving the World Cup winner on.
FootballTransfers added that Premier League rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United had previously been keen on a swoop for the left-footed attacker but were put off by his valuation of €100m (£87m) at the time.
It now remains to be seen whether either of those sides are now prepared to re-enter the race for his signature now that the Catalan giants are open to selling him for around £61m – £26m less than before.
If Spurs can see off any potential competition to secure his services, though, they could repeat their Maddison masterclass by signing a Premier League proven forward who could come in and hit the ground running in the peak years of his career.
Maddison’s season in numbers
The England international has been an instant hit in London with his magical performances in the attacking midfield position for Postecoglou this term.
Maddison has produced three goals, five assists, and six ‘big chances’ created in 11 league matches for the club, which illustrates the huge impact he has had at the top end of the pitch.
The former Norwich City star has created more chances (2.8) per game than any of his teammates and has two more assists than any other player within the squad.
This shows that the number ten has hit the ground running as an outstanding performer for Postecoglou in the middle of the park, which was to be expected given his prior experience at this level.
| Statistic | Maddison in 22/23 Premier League (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 30 |
| Sofascore rating | 7.33 |
| Goals | Ten |
| Assists | Nine |
| Big chances created | 12 |
| Key passes per game | 2.3 |
As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old talent arrived at Spurs off the back of an excellent Premier League season with Leicester City, despite their relegation down to the Championship.
Tottenham moved swiftly to sign him from the Foxes and his aforementioned statistics this term show that he has been able to translate those performances over to his new club.
They signed a player who knows exactly what it takes to perform in the top-flight of English football and have benefitted from that, which is what could be the case with Raphinha.
Raphinha’s Premier League record
The right-sided winger joined Barcelona from Leeds United in the summer of 2022 after he enjoyed two excellent seasons with the Yorkshire-based outfit in England.
Raphinha proved himself to be a terrific forward in English football with his ability to both score and create goals for his side, cutting in on his left foot from the right flank.
During his debut campaign in England under Marcelo Bielsa, the Brazil international produced six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances.
He was somewhat unfortunate to only register nine assists, though, as the talented whiz created an eye-catching 12 ‘big chances’ and made 2.1 key passes per match for his teammates across 26 league starts. This suggests that his fellow attackers let him down in front of goal with their wasteful finishing.
Raphinha followed that up with a return of 11 goals and three assists in 35 Premier League clashes throughout the 2021/22 campaign, as he improved his goalscoring output.
Again, though, his teammates let him down as the Brazilian magician created ten ‘big chances’ for them to only find the back of the net three times.
Raphinha has also plundered nine goals, eight assists, and created 19 ‘big chances’ in 28 LaLiga starts for Barcelona since the start of last season, which shows that the exciting ace has also hit the ground running in Spain.
Journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor once hailed him as “magic” and his statistics for both Barcelona and Leeds back that claim up as the right winger has been able to consistently conjure up opportunities for his teammates and goals for himself.
Therefore, the 26-year-old sensation could be Maddison 2.0 by coming in during the January transfer window and making an instant impact due to his proven ability to make things happen in the final third at Premier League level…CONTINUE READING>>
