The mood in north London has completely changed following Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon. Prior to this, Ange Postecoglou’s team had been in terrible form, losing four of their five Premier League games and drawing the other.
No one can deny that the recent slump has been an unacceptable loss of form, injuries or not, but the Australian manager deserves a great deal of credit for his quick success in turning the struggling Lilywhites team around and leading them to the top of the division in the first few months of the 2023–24 season.
However, this is forgiveable considering that he only joined in the summer, following Spurs’ eighth-place finish and the departure of team captain Harry Kane. A clear philosophy is currently being instilled, and while defensive reinforcements are necessary, the attack also needs to be prioritized.
The Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur, Samuel Etoo, Barcelona transfer.
In light of this, Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy might want to make a January investment in the front line, as reports this month indicate that the London club may be in the running for the exceptional winger Johan Bakayoko.
Johan Bakayoko is a transfer target for Tottenham.
In early December, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider reported that Spurs were getting ready to face their London rivals Brentford in January after Thomas Frank’s team was unable to secure a record-breaking £34 million offer.
Pundit Alan Hutton recently spoke with the website to discuss his ideas surrounding the potential transfer, asserting that Spurs need to seize the opportunity to hire him in January.
Says Hutton, “Bakayoko” When I watched him play for PSV against the Rangers, I thought he was incredible. Spurs won’t shut the door on him because he can score a goal, is very cunning, and possesses strength and speed.
Johan Bakayoko of the Premier League of Eindhoven.
“You will improve if you have the chance to sign a player of that caliber to your team. If the price was right, I would never refuse it.
It’s unclear at this point whether Levy would be willing to bolster across different areas, with emphasis likely to be placed on the defensive ranks, but should he determine that his frontal areas need more work, Bakayoko could be the ideal acquisition.
The playing style of Johan Bakayoko
Premier League teams have naturally taken notice of the 5 foot 10 winger, who has been outstanding in his first few years of professional life and has been called a “essential piece of this magnificent PSV team” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
According to Sofascore, he has made 25 appearances this season across all competitions, tallying four goals and thirteen assists. In the Dutch Eredivisie, he has made 3.3 ball recoveries and 2.8 crucial passes per game.
Johan Bakayoko: Principal Advantages
Extremely powerful
robust
dribbling
Ball hold-back
Going Away
Pass keys
completing
extended views
With nine Belgium caps already under his belt, Bakayoko’s development over the last year or so has been astounding. In the 2022–2023 league season, he scored five goals and five assists apiece.
He was rumored to be interested by Liverpool, Everton, and Paris Saint-Germain in the latter part of the summer, but he would stay in the Netherlands to further his skills.
Bakayoko is among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in divisions comparable to the Eredivisie in terms of assists, the top 5% in terms of actions that create shots, and the top 20% in terms of pass completion, according to FBref.
Among attacking midfielders and wingers in divisions comparable to the Eredivisie in terms of quality, Bakayoko is ranked in the top 1% for assists, the top 5% for actions that create shots, the top 20% for pass completion, the top 1% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box per 90, and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.
Kulig adds, “20 years of age. It seems like he can’t get enough of this prospect’s ability.” A player with such energy. Though it’s still a long way from being finished, the potential is enormous!”
Undoubtedly, Bakayoko would add a great deal of quality to the Spurs front line and serve as the ideal counterbalance for the unrelenting Dejan Kulusevski, who has also begun to find success. He is progressive, penetrating, and creative.
In fact, Bakayoko is a progressive, penetrating, and creative player who would greatly enhance the quality of the Spurs front line. He could also be the ideal foil for the unwavering Dejan Kulusevski, who has also begun to succeed centrally, giving Postecoglou’s attack even more depth.
Bryan Gil has appeared in six of the last seven Premier League games, so it’s obvious that Tottenham needs to make more improvements. Bakayoko would be the ideal addition.
After spending £22 million to join Tottenham from Sevilla in 2021, Gil has only produced 0.3 crucial passes per game this season and doesn’t seem to have the physicality or decisiveness necessary to succeed. He has also failed to score in 37 games and has been sent out on loan. It’s evident that his time is up.
Postecoglou has a lot of offensive skill and is quite similar to Bukayo Saka, who plays for Arsenal, a team that is next door to Spurs, should the north London team be successful in their pursuit of him after the new year.
How Johan Bakayoko compares to Bukayo Saka Saka has been a well-known figure in English football for a while, but in the last few years, he has truly developed into one of the league’s most impressive forwards.
Saka Bukayo
Football Transfers ranks the 22-year-old England international as the fourth most valuable attacking player in the world, behind only Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and fellow countryman Harry Kane.
Saka has made 201 appearances for the Gunners so far, contributing 52 assists and 46 goals. England manager Gareth Southgate has praised Saka for his relentless “ruthless” streak, which has elevated him to “world-class” status.
The £195k-per-week asset has already amassed eight goals and twelve assists for Mikel Arteta’s team this season. He possesses an extremely creative and cunning edge that Bakayoko is beginning to emulate.
Saka’s goals, assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, and touches in the attacking box per 90 are among the highest of any attacking midfielder or winger in Europe’s top five leagues, with him ranking among the top 17%, 8%, 15%, and 4% respectively. Saka’s ability to drive into danger areas and weave into advantageous positions is evident.
Spurs must finalize Bakayoko’s transfer by 2024, particularly in light of Gil’s deceptive flattery and, more importantly, to keep a Premier League rival from signing him.
Postecoglou seems to have a keen eye for talent, and with the kind of man management the Australian could offer this standout player, a deal has to be made.
