Under management Angie Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur They have undoubtedly become one of the most exciting teams to watch in European football.
The Australian's philosophy and methods ensure he scores a ton of goals, both home and away, when Spurs play.
However, to get the most out of this style of football, a team needs a monster covering the ground in the middle of the pitch, someone ready to step in and then advance the ball quickly up the pitch, someone like Chelsea. Moises Caicedo.
Fortunately, while they can't go out and sign the Ecuadorian, the club have recently been linked with another exciting defensive midfielder who has been compared to him.
Tottenham are chasing a midfield monster
According to A A recent report from Caught OffsideTottenham is one of several teams interested in signing Palmeiras star Richard Reus this month.
In fact, the report revealed that the north Londoners have already seen a bid rejected by the Brazilian side but are still keen to bring him to the N17, while the likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton are also pushing for the Colombian international.
The report revealed that the 24-year-old midfielder has a €100m release clause in his current contract, but it is very likely that a lower offer will eventually be accepted.
It could end up being an expensive and complicated move to cross the line this month, but given Reus' ability, he is one worth keeping an eye on, especially since he has been compared to the in-form Caicedo.
How does Reus compare to Caicedo?
So, Spurs fans may not like him very much – he is a Chelsea star, after all – but Reus being primarily a defensive midfielder and being compared to Caicedo is a very encouraging sign, but where did that comparison come from?
Well, that It stems primarily from FBrefwhich compared players in similar positions at last year's Copa America, then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each, and in this case, concluded that the Ecuadorian was the midfielder most similar to the Colombian at the tournament.
We can better understand how this conclusion was reached by looking at the key metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive passes conceded, non-penalty expected goals, passing accuracy, and passes to Penalty box, blocks, aerial duels won and more, all for the 90's.
|
Rios and Caicedo |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics per 90 |
Rios |
Caicedo |
|
Progressive passes received |
3.00 |
3.00 |
|
Expected goals other than penalty kicks |
0.06 |
0.04 |
|
Passing accuracy |
80.1% |
80.0% |
|
Passes to the penalty area |
0.80 |
0.75 |
|
Blocks |
2.00 |
2.25 |
|
He won aerial duels |
0.40 |
0.50 |
|
All stats via FBref For the 2024 Copa America Championship |
||
However, it's not just the comparison with the Blues' midfield general that makes the Figaci-born star an attractive player, as his overall underlying numbers from the last 365 days have been impressive as well.
For example, FBref has put together a “ball carrying machine”, As analyst Ben Mattinson called itTop 2% of midfielders in the top 14 following competitions for tackles in the final third, Top 7% for dribblers challenged and shots attempted, Top 8% for total shots made, Top 10% for passes blocked, Top 11% for goals Plus assists and more, all per 90.
Moreover, Mattinson also describes Dynamic ace as “pressure resistant” monster with “A motor that allows him to get up and down the field throughout the game,” making him look like the perfect addition to Postecoglou's action-packed team.
Ultimately, there are risks in signing a player from outside Europe, but Reus looks like the real deal, and with comparisons to a star like Caicedo, Spurs should make sure they sign him before someone else gets there first.
