Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is not short of options in midfield. Despite injuries having a major impact on his squad this term, he still has a plethora of options in the middle of the park.
The more attacking of those players include young Lucas Bergvall, who has made an excellent impression of late. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevkis bring experience in attacking midfield for Postecoglou.
Slightly deeper in midfield, the Australian can pick from the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. Youngster Archie Gray is very versatile and can play at right-back but is a midfielder by trade.
With all this considered, it is an exciting prospect for Lilywhites fans that the club are eying up another midfield addition.
Spurs target new midfielder
The player in question here is American defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso. The Real Betis star has really impressed for the Spanish club this season, and could now make a move in the January transfer window.
According to an exclusive report from GiveMeSport, the North London side ‘could conduct a move’ for the American star this winter. They are believed to have ‘serious interest’ in signing him and there is thought to be a ‘big chance’ he leaves La Liga in this window.
There are believed to be other sides from both La Liga and the Premier League interested in signing Cardoso. However, Spurs have the upper hand in any potential deal. When loaning out Giovani Lo Celso to the Spanish club this season, the Lilywhites agreed a clause for a £25.5m deal for Cardoso, which they can trigger if they wish to sign him.
Why Cardoso could be a good signing
The 23-year-old American star has been superb in midfield for Betis this season. He has played 20 times across all competitions, sitting at the base of their midfield as a metronome, keeping things ticking over and shielding the defence.
The midfielder, who was born in Denville, New Jersey, was described as a “composed deep-lying playmaker” by football analyst Ben Mattinson.
He certainly likes to pull the strings from a deeper position, with an assist against Celta Vigo a prime example of that.
Not only would the 23-year-old add to the excellent depth in midfield, but he could be a big upgrade on Bissouma.
There has been a fair bit of criticism for the Malian midfielder this term, who has played 24 times in all competitions. Earlier in the season, Stephen Warnock said he thought Bissouma “didn’t have the desire” to run in midfield.
If there is one thing that Cardoso could bring to the Spurs midfield that Bissouma doesn’t, it is a high volume of defensive actions. This is reflected in the stats on FBref, and there is a clear gap in the number of defensive actions between the pair.
This season in La Liga, the Betis star averages 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 each 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 into the penalty area.
On the ball, Cardoso is still a fantastic player from deep, averaging 3.61 progressive passes, although that is less than Bissouma’s 6.21 progressive passes per 90 minutes. That is perhaps because he plays for a team with less average possession than Spurs, as per FBref.
|
Cardoso vs. Bissouma key stats compared |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Cardoso |
Bissouma |
|
Ball recoveries |
6.39 |
5.15 |
|
Tackles and interceptions |
4.82 |
4.27 |
|
Blocks |
1.2 |
0.58 |
|
Progressive passes |
3.61 |
6.21 |
|
Key passes |
0.48 |
0.39 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
Not only would Cardoso be an upgrade on Bissouma, but he could be the perfect long-term partner for Bergvall. The Swede has been making waves recently and has 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 impact the final third without having to worry about leaving the defence open.
For just £25.5m, Cardoso could be a great addition for Spurs. Not only would he upgrade their midfield, but also be a long-term partner for Bergvall who could get the best out of the youngster.
Related
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The France international is being heavily linked with a move to N17.
