Ange Postecoglou would make a huge statement if he completed this transfer.
Tottenham Hotspur were busy in the January transfer window and may strike again, with Ange Postecoglou looking for the recipe to guarantee Champions League qualifying before the end of the season.
Overall, the north London club has performed admirably this season, although they are currently fifth in the league table after 21 games, three points behind Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Postecoglou correctly realised that the squad’s thinness necessitated reinforcements, and he responded accordingly, with Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner joining the ranks earlier this month.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has been a key goal for a long, but obtaining his services will be a difficult assignment for the Lilywhites, with promising winger Antonio Nusa also being heavily targeted before the deadline next week.
While all of this is going on, plans are being made for the summer transfer window, and Postecoglou is pressing for the signing of a truly extraordinary player.
Spurs’ Search for a Forward
According to Spanish sources, Tottenham are interested in signing Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane, who would be a fantastic signing for Postecoglou’s vision.
However, Liverpool and Arsenal have both been touted as suitors, and Spurs’ hopes of signing the £86 million-rated winger would inevitably depend on qualifying for the Champions League.
The Germany international, who is out of contract at the end of next season, is considered to be the ideal fit for the direction Spurs are taking under their new manager, and concrete efforts could be made to bring him to the club this summer.
Why Spurs want Leroy Sane?
Sane joined Bayern Munich for £55 million from Manchester City in 2020, and he has since scored 47 goals and provided 48 assists in 160 games, dazzling from both flanks during his trophy-laden stint in Bavaria.
Tottenham have their work cut out convincing the 28-year-old to join Postecoglou’s team, with Arsenal and Liverpool also interested, but signing James Maddison and Micky van de ven last summer underscores the attractiveness of making this transfer.
Sane has been dubbed “one of the best wingers in the world” by colleague Jamal Musiala, making him an ideal signing for Spurs.
According to FBref, the 6-foot phenom ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists over the last year, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 18% for progressive carries, and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.
Such numbers support the argument that he is one of the modern game’s best wingers, combining technical prowess with raw pace and power to surge into dangerous areas.
This season, the £331k-per-week player has nine goals and 11 assists in 27 appearances for the strong German champions, who lead Xabi Alonso‘s Bayer Leverkusen. While he hasn’t scored in his last nine league matches, Sane has eight assists in that time.
According to Sofascore, Sane has completed 85% of his passes in the Bundesliga this season, with an average of 3.2 critical passes, 3.8 ball recoveries, and 3.8 dribbles per game, living up to talent scout Jacek Kulig’s previous description of him as a “world-class” player.
Sane also brings something important to teams fighting for success in the Premier League: the 59-cap international has previously enjoyed plenty of success on English shores and should be able to transport his qualities to the English capital if Spurs are successful in their pursuit of his services.
While Dejan Kulusevski plays on the right flank and is consistently outstanding in terms of enthusiasm and optimism for Postecoglou’s team, Sane might return to his natural left-sided attacking role at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, allowing Heung-min Son to wreak havoc from the front.
This would, of course, make it difficult for Richarlison to secure a regular starting spot, but Sane would surely be an upgrade, no matter how ruthless.
How does Leroy Sane compare to Richarlison?
There is definitely an unspoken agreement at Tottenham that Richarlison will not be the first choice at centre striker in the future years.
Indeed, Spurs have recently been identified as a frontrunner to recruit prolific Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.
To his credit, the dynamic Richarlison has been in good form recently and has finally clicked into gear at Tottenham – he was horrible last season, scoring once in the league after signing from Everton for £60 million – and has six Premier League goals in as many appearances.
However, history suggests that the Brazilian’s recent purple patch will not persist; he has not scored more than 13 goals in any of his seven Premier League seasons.
That is not to argue that he cannot play a role in Tottenham’s future under Postecoglou’s guidance, but the signing of Sane would move him lower down the pecking order, which may be required to maintain the progress made in recent months.
Few would argue that Son is the greater forward, and while all the data in the world could be gathered to support this claim, simply watching the South Korean in action will reveal his world-class skills.
They are traits that could be pushed to a new level with Sane on the flank opposite him, and this is clearly something Postecoglou has envisioned as he and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy consider the best choices for propelling Tottenham to the forefront of European football.
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