Spurs could repeat Maddison trick with “magnificent” Todibo alternative

It’s been quite the ride down the N17 this season, with Ange Postecoglou‘s summer appointment proving to be a masterstroke after excellent early-season form threw Tottenham Hotspur to the front of the Premier League table.

Few expected such a swift ascent, with Tottenham lumbering to an eighth-placed finish in the English top-flight and consequently missing out on European football entirely.

Such woes were compounded when Postecoglou’s pre-season preparations took a big blow as Spurs’ club record scorer Harry Kane completed a transfer to Bayern Munich, having spent the duration of his professional career at Tottenham.

But it mattered not and the Lilywhites marched into some sublime form that got English football chattering over the possibility of an unlikely title challenge.

This was derailed by a recent slump, now ended, and while the five-match winless run was unacceptable, terrible luck with injuries and suspensions proved to be the club’s undoing, and Postecoglou will now attempt to rectify this by bolstering effectively in January.

Spurs transfer news – Tosin Adarabioyo

The Spurs manager has revealed that his priority is to sign a centre-back this winter, with £43m summer signing Micky van de Ven picking up a hamstring injury back in November and remaining sidelined to date – it was this injury that had such a detrimental effect on the progress.

Multiple options have been discussed, with recent reports suggesting that the London club could be back in for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, having waged transfer battle against AS Monaco in the summer for his signature, with both sides ultimately failing.

And now, according to the Sun, Tottenham have been boosted by Adarabioyo’s declaration that he will not sign a new deal with the Craven Cottage side, with his contract expiring in June.

Why Spurs are interested in Tosin Adarabioyo

Having shipped an embarrassing 63 goals in the league last term, Tottenham needed to respond emphatically and indeed did so with the capture of Van de Ven, who formed a fearsome partnership with Cristian Romero to restore the backline’s solidity.

But his injury has illuminated the fragility of Postecoglou’s team and a player such as Adarabioyo could provide adequate cover to alleviate the burden on the starring defensive axis.

Securing his signature could be a repeat of the deal to sign James Maddison, aged 27, from Leicester City in the summer, improving the ranks at the expense of a Premier League rival.

Indeed, one of Postecoglou’s first ports of call after arriving from Celtic was the £40m acquisition of Maddison, one of English football’s most influential playmakers.

He’s definitely lived up to the plate, winning August’s Premier League Player of the Month award and posting three goals and five assists from 11 matches.

Sadly, like Van de Ven, Maddison is sidelined until the new year in what has been a definitive factor behind Spurs’ startling loss of form, but the mere fact that he plies his trade in Tottenham white is a galvanising thought for his teammates.

Adarabioyo could recreate this effect from a defensive standpoint, having been described as a “magnificent” player by writer Muhammed Butt.

Tosin Adarabioyo’s style of play

Adarabioyo is a towering titan with impressive command in the rearguard, and having amassed 113 appearances for Fulham, he has been instrumental in the promotion push and subsequent cementation of Premier League status.

This season, as per Sofascore, the Englishman has only played five times due to injury but has started the past three games and scored in Fulham’s 5-0 romp over West Ham United.

Completing 83% of his passes, the 26-year-old has also averaged 2.8 clearances per game and won 71% of his contested duels, proving his worth as one of the most underrated defenders in the division despite the lack of match action this season.

As per FBref, the one-time Citizen ranks among the top 19% of centre-halfs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 10% for shots taken, the top 1% for clearances and the top 15% for aerial wins per 90.

The 6 foot 5 titan would be a credit to Tottenham’s blooming project and would be the perfect replacement for Eric Dier, who is set to depart at the end of his contract next summer.

Given that he is a former Manchester City youth product too, it’s clear that Adarabioyo boasts a ball-playing proficiency to align with Postecoglou’s fluid, fast-paced style.

Adarabioyo, in short, would be a terrific addition and whether Spurs sign him on a cut-price deal in January or opt to offer him a contract at the end of the campaign remains to be seen at this stage, but he could be the perfect alternative for Jean-Clair Todibo.

Why Spurs are interested in Jean-Clair Todibo

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have opened negotiations with French side OGC Nice to discuss the possible transfer of Todibo, and while he is top of the list, it is stressed that it will not be an easy one to get over the line, with Manchester United also interested.

A fee of around £35m would be enough for Nice to consider his January sale, but with reinforcements needed across multiple positions, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may be dissuaded from parting with such a sum.

As such, drawing up plans to sign Adarabioyo appears to be a prudent and resourceful move, with Marco Silva recently heralding the player’s “special” skill set after Fulham advanced to the Carabao Cup semi-finals after defeating Everton.

It would perhaps be something of a blow to miss out on Todibo, however, with the Frenchman ranking among the top 8% of positional peers for passes attempted, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles made per 90, but then it would be a foolhardy approach to place all of their eggs in one basket.

Therefore, Adarabioyo would be an appropriate alternative, and who knows, given that he is a Premier League-proven player, he could even end up being the best deal to make.