Tottenham Hotspur The entire squad has been plagued by injuries this season, which has hampered their progress in the Premier League. Incredibly, they are They sit in 14th place in the Premier LeagueAlthough they have made good progress in the Carabao Cup, this season has simply not lived up to expectations.
At the beginning of the season, Ange Postecoglou claimed to have a record At every club he coached, he “always won titles in my second year”. Well, that theory will really be tested this season, as the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Europa League are still possible.
The Lilywhites may need reinforcements to help in their quest to win trophies and have been linked with one striker who could add plenty of firepower.
Tottenham are targeting a new striker
The player in question here is the Barcelona and Spain national team winger Ansu Fati. The La Masia graduate has also had bad luck with injuries, and a fresh start away from the Nou Camp could be on the cards this winter.
According to a report by The Guardian newspaperTottenham are one of the parties interested in signing the winger, due to the fact that they “need to strengthen their attack” in the January transfer window, with Postecoglou making a push for Barcelona's outcast player.
However, they are not alone in the race to sign Fati, who earns £226,000-a-week According to Capology. The Guardian also reports that London rivals West Ham United are interested in adding him to the squad under new coach Graham Potter. There is currently no clarity on whether it is a loan deal or a permanent move.
Why would Fati be a good signing?
It has once again been a really disappointing season for Fati. He was once one of the biggest stars to emerge from the prestigious La Masia academy Handing over the number 10 shirt to Lionel Messi When the legendary striker left Barcelona in 2021.
This season, injuries have plagued the winger again. He missed 11 matches A total of 84 dayswith a muscle problem and a foot injury. And so, the 22-year-old has just that He managed eight matches In all competitions, he did not score any goals.
His record at Barcelona overall declined somewhat over time, with injuries occurring. I have Played 120 timesHe scored 29 goals and had nine assists. This includes a goal and two assists against Real Sociedad in 2022/23.
Over time, he suffered 13 separate injuries to the La Liga giants, and one each to Brighton and Hough Albion during his loan spell, scoring four goals and making one assist. In 27 matches To the southern coast.
However, Tottenham would still like to sign the winger, certainly because of the obvious talent there. His debut season in 2019/20 was a prime example of what he can do, a season in which he contributed He scored seven times He got an assist, becoming a superstar.
In that season, Fati was similar to Tottenham legend Gareth Bale, who was playing for Real Madrid in 2019/20. The Welshman scored two goals and provided two assists In 16 matches in the Spanish League.
For the Lilywhites, Bale was sensational. Over two spells in North LondonHe scored 71 goals and provided 53 assists. One of his best goals came against Inter in the Champions League, where he picked up the ball from inside his own half and shot it into the net. On that day, he also scored his first hat-trick for Tottenham.
The similarities between Fati and Bale in 2019/20 are there to be seen from a statistical point of view, According to FBref. For example, they both had an expected goals count of 0.33 xG per 90 minutes, and the Spaniard averaged slightly more key passes per game, with 1.58 compared to 0.99. The Welshman's 2.89 progressive passes per game slightly exceed Fati's 2.54.
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Comparison of Spanish League statistics 2019/20 Fati and Bale |
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|---|---|---|
|
State (per 90) |
Fatty |
bale |
|
Expected goals |
0.33xG |
0.33xG |
|
Key passes |
1.58 |
0.99 |
|
Progressive passes |
2.89 |
2.54 |
|
Snapshot creation procedures |
3.42 |
2.98 |
|
Holds progressivism |
6.75 |
3.97 |
|
Statistics from FBref |
||
If Tottenham can get Fati back to a good level of fitness, they could have a 'phenomenon' on their hands. As football statistician Dave Statman once described itwho can advance the ball up the pitch and make things happen in the final third in a similar way to what Bale did in his career.
Postecoglou will be hoping the 22-year-old can recapture those levels at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as they look to win the title for the first time since 2008, when Bale was just breaking through.
