Ange Postecoglou would pull off a major coup with this exciting signing.
After an incredible start to the 2023–24 season, Tottenham Hotspur is heading into the holiday season with a fresh sense of optimism. However, a five-match losing streak has put a stop to any hopes of winning the Premier League title.
Even so, after a trying spell, Ange Postecoglou’s injury-plagued team has bounced back, winning three straight games to take back a top four slot, one ahead of champions Manchester City, who still have a game to play.
This Premier League star would become an absolute beast under Ange Postecoglou’s tutelage.
Spurs have a fantastic opportunity to add players to bolster the roster as the January transfer window draws near. Postecoglou stated earlier in December that bolstering the center defense would be the first priority.
However, the Australian has a plan, and since the attacking ranks also require improvement, there may be a lot of movement at N17 during the summer transfer window of 2024. According to recent sources, Tottenham is reportedly considering making a strong approach for Federico Chiesa.
Spurs transfer news – Federico Chiesa
Italian publication Tutto Juve, as reported by Sport Witness, claims that Tottenham is working behind the scenes to recruit Chiesa from Serie A powerhouse Juventus. Last month, sources suggested that Postecoglou’s team was becoming more and more interested in the player.
Given their financial difficulties and his contract expiring in 2025, the Old Lady are resolved to selling him eventually. While a winter move is improbable, they would consider offers of €80 million (£69 million), hoping that strong performances at the European Championships the following year would spur interest.
Spurs would be well to move quickly to seal a deal and add an exciting new player to Postecoglou’s team, as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Newcastle United have also been mentioned as suitors in recent months.
Federico Chiesa’s style of play
Alessandro Pierini, a former football player, once referred to Chiesa as “world-class.” Despite his impressive and dynamic skill set, Chiesa’s injury history is a constant source of concern for Spurs.
Chiesa sustained an ACL injury in 2022 and missed an incredible 66 games while he battled to recover. Although the 2022–2023 season was marred by the issue, he did improve towards the end of the season, securing four goal contributions in the final five games.
Known as a “wizard” by author Roger Bennett, Chiesa has excelled in a variety of capacities but has been used a lot this season as a kind of shadow striker, operating centrally and recording five goals and two assists in 13 league starts.
The 44-cap Italy international has won 56% of his fought duels to demonstrate his toughness and defensive application, and he has added 1.5 crucial passes per game to go along with his direct return, according to Sofascore.
While Chiesa is not the prolific center-forward that is thought to be a focus for the team, his style and effectiveness in multiple positions make him a valuable addition to the Tottenham team. Silky and creative, Chiesa would continue to grow under Postecoglou’s leadership.
| Federico Chiesa: Most Similar PL Forwards | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Player | Club |
| 1 | Bryan Mbeumo | Brentford |
| 2 | Cody Gakpo | Liverpool |
| 3 | Gabriel Jesus | Arsenal |
| *Sourced via FBref | ||
His inventiveness might be just what Spurs needs to maintain their winning formula. According to FBref, he ranks in the top 5% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons, and the top 7% for tackles per 90 minutes.
This strategy would be a fantastic addition to the Tottenham team, as Chiesa’s inventiveness could mesh well with playmaker James Maddison’s in a deeper-lying role, enabling players like Richarlison and Heung-min Son to achieve their goal-scoring endeavors.
How Federico Chiesa compares to Heung-min Son
Although Son will undoubtedly not be leaving the squad anytime soon, Chiesa may be set up as the ideal replacement for Son given that he is a capable forward in addition to his natural wide role.
Son, who is 31 years old, joined Tottenham in 2015 after leaving Bayer Leverkusen for a £22 million transfer. In that time, he has made 391 appearances, 156 goals, and 84 assists.
Son may have a cheerful demeanor, but when it comes to the game, he is a terrifying and destructive opponent. Former Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo famously praised Son for having a “killer” mentality, and his league performance of 11 goals and four assists from 18 games this season is proof of this.
Son is in the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for pass completion, the top 10% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, and the top 19% for interceptions per 90 yards when compared to other forwards.
In fact, this season in the Premier League, the £190k-per-week machine has also produced nine significant opportunities; currently, the only players with more are Kieran Trippier of Newcastle United and Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp once stated of the illustrious sharpshooter, “One of the big mistakes in my life was that I didn’t sign him.” Excellent participant. Exceptional athlete and among the world’s top strikers.”
Although Son has a longer scoring run than the 26-year-old Chiesa, the Juventus forward is very creative and has shown in the past that he can score goals on his own.
It might be a match made in heaven, helped by the inventive players on Tottenham’s team and a fluid system that Postecgolou has drilled into it.
Spurs will probably look to recruit a natural goal scorer in 2024, but in the event that Chiesa becomes available, his signature needs to be sought in order to maintain his ascent and guarantee that Tottenham will have lethal options for years to come.
Son has large shoes to fill, but Chiesa has the ability to succeed the club legend if he can keep up his current level of conditioning.
