Tottenham Hotspur boss Angie Postecoglou There is no shortage of options in midfield. Although injuries have had a major impact on his team this season, he still has a plethora of options in midfield.
Among these more attacking players is youngster Lukas Bergvall, who has made an excellent impression recently. James Maddison and Dejan Kolosevkis bring experience in attacking midfield for Postecoglou.
A little deeper in midfield, the Australian can choose from the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. Youngster Archie Gray is versatile and can play at right-back but is a midfielder by trade.
With all this in mind, it is exciting for Lilywhites fans that the club are looking to add another addition in the midfield.
Tottenham are targeting a new midfielder
The player in question here is American defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso. The Real Betis star has impressed for the Spanish club this season and could now make a move in the January transfer window.
According to an exclusive report from GiveMeSportthe north London side could “make a move” for the American star this winter. They are believed to have a 'serious interest' in signing him and there is believed to be a 'high chance' he will leave La Liga in this window.
Other teams from La Liga and the English Premier League are believed to be interested in signing Cardoso. However, Spurs have the upper hand in any potential deal. When loaning Giovani Lo Celso to the Spanish club this season, the Lilywhites agreed a £25.5m deal clause for Cardoso, which they can activate if they wish to sign him.
Why could Cardoso be a good signing?
The 23-year-old American star has been impressive in Betis' midfield this season. I have Played 20 times In all competitions, they sit at the base of midfield as a pacer, keeping things moving and protecting the defence.
The midfielder, who was born in Denville, New Jersey, has been described as a 'deep-lying playmaker'. By football analyst Ben Mattinson.
He certainly likes to pull the strings from a deeper position, with his assist against Celta Vigo a prime example of that.
The 23-year-old would not only add to the excellent depth in midfield, but could serve as a major upgrade for Bissouma.
There has been a fair amount of criticism of the Malian midfielder this season, and he has done just that Played 24 times In all competitions. Earlier in the season, Stephen Warnock said he thought so Bissouma “didn't have the desire” to run in midfield.
If there's one thing Cardoso can bring to the Spurs midfield that Bissouma doesn't, it's a sheer volume of defensive action. This is reflected in Statistics on FBrefThere is a clear gap in the number of defensive moves between the pair.
This season in La Liga, the Betis star is averaging 6.39 ball recoveries and 4.82 tackles and interceptions per game. Comparatively, Bissouma averages 5.15 ball recoveries and 4.27 tackles and interceptions per game.
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 inside the penalty area.
On the ball, Cardoso is still a great player from deep, averaging 3.61 progressive passes, although this is lower than Bissouma's 6.21 progressive passes per 90 minutes. Perhaps this is because he plays for a team that has a lower average possession than Tottenham. According to FBref.
|
Key stats comparison between Cardoso and Bissouma |
||
|---|---|---|
|
State (per 90) |
Cardoso |
Bissouma |
|
Retrieve the ball |
6.39 |
5.15 |
|
Interventions and objections |
4.82 |
4.27 |
|
Blocks |
1.2 |
0.58 |
|
Progressive passes |
3.61 |
6.21 |
|
Key passes |
0.48 |
0.39 |
|
Statistics from FBref |
||
Not only would Cardoso be an upgrade for Bissouma, he could be the perfect long-term partner for Bergvall. The Swede has been making waves lately and he has done just that Played 22 times This season. He scored his first goal for the Lilywhites against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.
With Cardoso's defensive ability and progressive nature, he is the perfect foil for someone like Bergvall who can get forward and influence the final third without having to worry about leaving the defense open.
For just £25.5m, Cardoso could be a great addition for Tottenham. Not only will he upgrade the midfield, but he will also be a long-term partner for Bergvall who can get the best out of the youngster.
