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Tottenham Hotspur's pre-season performances suggest that the unity is intact and Ange Postecoglou's vision is being further reinforced ahead of his second season at the helm.

The craggy-faced Australian has recently admitted that signing a centre-forward is Spurs' "focus", with Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke being considered for transfer.

However, work is needed elsewhere, and with Emerson Royal mooted for a transfer to AC Milan, the north Londoners appear to be interested in a new right-back.

Spurs transfer news

As per Firenze Viola earlier this week, Tottenham have identified Fiorentina's Michael Kayode as the perfect Emerson replacement, with the 20-year-old also attracting interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

La Viola's €30m (£25m) demands might be a little steep given the right-back has just completed his first season in Serie A, but if a more agreeable fee can be found, Spurs may well advance to complete an exciting deal.

Djed Spence upgrade

He might be viewed as Emerson's replacement in the Lilywhites first team, but Kayode could also prove to be a big upgrade on Djed Spence, whose time at Tottenham has not gone according to plan.

Spurs signed Spence from Middlesbrough for £20m in 2022 after his electric displays in the Championship, having been hailed as the "standout player" in Nottingham Forest's side while on loan in 2021/22.

Now one week away from his 24th birthday, Spence has completed only six senior fixtures for the London side, enduring a string of frustrating loan spells - the last of which was with Genoa in Serie A across the second half of last season.

Failing to really make a mark in Italy, Spence did feature regularly but left plenty to be desired, and given that comparison can be drawn from Kayode's own performances in the division, it can be seen that Spurs might be wise to cut their losses and sign an exciting upgrade.

As you can see from the table above, Kayode wiped the floor with his positional peer in the Italian top flight last season, proving to be the more rounded and robust player, also picking with greater regularity.

Moreover, Kayode ranks among the top 12% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles made per 90 as per FBref, backing up praise from analyst Ben Mattinson that he is something of a "duel monster".

Since Kayode has only taken his first steps into senior football, there is an element of risk involved in launching a high-cost bid for his services, but he's positively outshone Spence and would surely be an improvement on both him and Emerson, who has been said to be "not really suited for Ange-ball" by writer Simon Yemane.

Praised for one "extraordinary performance" by Fiorentina chairman Daniel Spade, his physique, power and blooming defensive steel would make for an interesting tool to add depth to the defensive right flank, serving as a foil to Pedro Porro's dynamic skillset.

Tottenham think they can seal a £60 million deal for a striker who wants to join Ange Postecoglou's side, with Spurs in the market for a centre-forward who can finally replace club legend Harry Kane.

Spurs target new striker with Richarlison up for sale

Earlier this week, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano backed reports that the Lilywhites are in the market for a fresh striking option, and potentially a new winger.

Postecoglou was heavily reliant on Son Heung-min and his 17 goals in all competitions for the majority of Tottenham's output in the final third, so the Australian will be keen to add more attacking impetus, especially given the South Korea star is out of contract next year.

Meanwhile, reports claim that Spurs are determined to sell Richarlison this summer, despite him managing 12 goals and four assists last season as the club's second top scorer behind Son.

The Brazilian doesn't appear to be viewed by those within Tottenham as a long-term solution to succeed Kane, who completed a multi-million-pound move to Bayern Munich last summer. Richarlison is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, and has been all window according to some reports, so his exit could be one to watch before deadline day.

With the north Londoners in the market for a new forward, there are a few interesting names who've been linked recently. Brentford's Ivan Toney is thought to be one of them, with the England international out of contract next year and still on the lookout for a new club.

Toney is rumoured to be keen on a move to Spurs as he seeks an exit from Brentford this summer. The 27-year-old scored 20 Premier League goals during the 2022/23 season before his hefty on-field ban for alleged gambling breaches and helped England beat Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024 through his extra-time assist for Kane.

Another English top-flight striker who really likes the idea of joining Postecoglou, according to a report by TEAMtalk this week, is Bournemouth star Dominic Solanke.

Solanke wants to join Tottenham as Spurs believe £60m deal possible

Spurs have apparently been in contact with Solanke's representatives, and hold a belief that they can sign the forward for around £60 million - £5 million less than his full £65 million release clause.

Solanke wants to join Postecoglou at Tottenham, and the club also view him as their ideal pick to lead the line in the next campaign. The 26-year-old scored 21 goals across 42 appearances in all competitions for Bournemouth last season, attracting praise for his exceptional performances.

“He is flying at the minute and he’s looking like the player that I always thought he was going to become," said pundit John Wenham.

“I have watched him dominate Tottenham many times over the years while in Chelsea’s youth teams, and to tell the truth I’m pleased for him as I always thought he was a really good player.

“I think he will be knocking on the door of the next England squad. I know that Ollie Watkins scores a lot of goals, but Solanke is the closest England striker to Harry Kane in terms of the way he plays and what he offers in terms of his ability to hold up the ball."

It was a Premier League campaign of ups and downs for Tottenham Hotspur last season, and while missing out on the Champions League was disappointing, qualifying for the Europa League should still be considered a success.

However, with a year under his belt, Ange Postecoglou must take the Lilywhites one step further in 2024/25 and return them to Europe's elite competition.

To do that, the Australian will need Daniel Levy and Co to supply him with some talented players in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, specifically a striker.

Now, the North Londoners have recently been linked with Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke, and while he'd be a good signing, the latest striker touted for a move to the club would be even better.

Tottenham Hotspurs' striker search

According to a recent report from respected journalist Alasdair Gold, Tottenham are in the market for a new striker this summer, and Viktor Gyokeres is one of the players they have looked at.

Gold does mention a potential price for the Swedish international, but recent reports have claimed that Sporting CP are looking for a fee in the region of €80m, which converts to about £67m.

The other issue for the Lilywhites is that the former Coventry City ace has seemingly caught the attention of several topflight clubs, such as Arsenal and Liverpool.

That said, while signing Gyokeres would likely prove challenging and costly, his incredible ability would dramatically strengthen Spurs, and he'd be a better signing than Solanke.

How Gyokeres compares to Solanke

Okay, so the first thing to say is that given Spurs need for an out-and-out number nine this summer, signing either Solanke or Gyokeres would be a good idea and probably see their return of goals increase next season, but when it comes down to comparing the two stars, there is only one winner.

For example, in his 42 appearances last season, the Bournemouth ace scored 21 goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.68 games, and while that's undeniably impressive, it does not hold a candle to the Swede's output.

In his 50 appearances for Sporting last season, he scored a whopping 43 goals and provided 15 assists for good measure, equating to an outrageous average of a goal involvement every 0.86 games, or 1.16 goal involvements per match.

Unfortunately for the Englishman, this one-sided comparison continues when we look at their underlying numbers. For example, while the Cherries ace comes out ahead for progressive passes and aerial duels won per 90, that's it.

In contrast, the Swedish "powerhouse", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, emerges victorious in every other relevant metric, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Ultimately, signing Solanke would likely see Spurs improve in attack next season.

However, if Levy and Co want to utterly transform the club's frontline and give themselves the best chance of qualifying for the Champions League, they should do all they can to bring Gyokeres to N17 this summer - he would be a game-changer.

With four wins out of four and two exciting youngsters already signed, it would be fair to say that as things stand, this summer has been a success for Tottenham Hotspur.

However, there are just two weeks until the Premier League returns, and while Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok look like great pickups for the future, they won't move the needle much in the coming campaign.

So it's good news for Ange Postecoglou and Co that, in recent days, the club has been linked to a plethora of talented players, including the surprising rumour that they might rekindle their pursuit of Chelsea's Conor Gallagher.

However, since that news broke earlier this week, another story has come out linking the North Londoners to the perfect alternative and someone who might be able to add more goals to the Lilywhites' midfield.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Sunday Times journalist Duncan Castles via the Football Transfers Podcast, Tottenham are interested in signing Manchester United's Scott McTominay this summer.

The Scottish midfielder was the subject of a £20m bid from Fulham, which was swiftly rejected by United, who currently value him at around £40m, per Castles.

It would certainly be surprising - and potentially unpopular - if Spurs do sign McTominay this summer, but if they can negotiate the fee down, he might be a good alternative to Gallagher.

How McTominay compares to Gallagher

Okay, so before we look at the pair's underlying numbers to better understand which would be the better signing for Spurs, let's examine their goalscoring record from last season, as while there are plenty of important metrics for measuring midfielders, goals ultimately win games.

The good news is that McTominay had a much better goalscoring campaign than Gallagher last season. He scored ten in 43 appearances, giving him an average of one every 4.3 games, whereas the Chelsea ace scored seven goals in 50 appearances, meaning he averaged one every 7.14 games.

Moreover, when you factor in the minutes they played last season, the United ace's average is significantly better, as he played 2775 minutes to the Englishman's 4036.

So, with it clear that the Lancaster-born "monster", as dubbed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær, is the more significant goal threat of the pair, which one of them comes out on top when we compare their underlying numbers from the league last season?

Well, interestingly, it's quite an even comparison. For example, the Blues ace comes out on top in specific metrics such as progressive passes and carries, passing accuracy, shot-creating actions, tackles won and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Whereas the 52-capped Scotsman does better in a swathe of other metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, blocks, clearances and aerial duels won, also per 90.

Ultimately, while McTominay is the better goalscorer of the two midfielders, the comparison of the pair's underlying numbers makes it hard to pick who is the outright superior player. Therefore, if Levy and Co cannot get their hands on Gallagher this summer, then signing the United ace to provide more depth and attacking threat to the Lilywhites midfield wouldn't be a bad idea.

However, it seems very unlikely that anyone will stump up the £40m the Red Devils are after, so it might be better for the North Londoners to wait a little bit longer and see how much the asking price comes down before making an offer.

A forward who was once valued at around £85 million has been offered to Tottenham, with chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs hierarchy tempted by the proposal.

Tottenham in market for striker and a potential new winger

On Thursday, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano shared an encouraging update on the Lilywhites' transfer plans for the remainder of the window, with just a matter of weeks left before deadline day on August 30.

So far, Spurs haven't exactly been one of the more active Premier League sides when it comes to incoming transfers. The north Londoners sealed a £40 million deal for English sensation Archie Gray from Leeds United, with Joe Rodon heading the other way in a separate £10 million move.

Before that, they extended Timo Werner's loan deal until the end of next season, which includes a revised option to buy set at around £8.5 million. Tottenham also put pen to paper on a move for 18-year-old South Korean starlet Min-hyeok Yang, but he's seen more as one for the future.

Supporters will be eager to see a few more senior players come in ahead of the new season and Ange Postecoglou's second full campaign in charge, as Spurs look to build upon their fifth-placed finish last season. There is also the added pressure of Europa League football and the extra games that come with it, so Spurs need more strength in depth if they want to challenge near the top of the table.

Romano, taking to X, moved to alleviate concerns and stated that Tottenham are in the market for a new striker and potentially a new winger, depending on the opportunities available to them.

As well as Solanke, it is believed Brentford star Ivan Toney is keen on joining Tottenham to potentially replace Richarlison, so the England star could be one to watch too.

In terms of wingers, Spurs are being repeatedly linked with Juventus star Federico Chiesa.

Chiesa offered to Tottenham with Levy tempted to sign him

Once valued at around £85 million by Juventus, the forward's contract expires next year, meaning he could leave for around £25 million.

According to journalist Dean Jones, speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast (via TBR), Tottenham are tempted to sign Chiesa after being offered him.

“I was quite excited for Spurs in the sense of tracking Chiesa’s availability,” Jones said.

“The versatility of Chiesa would be ideal for that team. I actually had it played up to me last week the transfer and the prospect of it. Chiesa has been offered all around the Premier League and Tottenham, I was told, had a bit of a nibble on that. When you consider what they’d have to pay for Neto or Eze, Chiesa would be cheaper than that.”

Chiesa scored 10 goals and assisted three others in all competitions under Massimiliano Allegri last season, and boasts over half a century of caps for Italy. This move seems very doable as well, considering the apparent eagerness from his camp to get him to England.

It's set to be a massively important Premier League campaign for Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou this season.

The Australian did a reasonably good job in his first year at the club, but with that experience under his belt, he has to lead the North Londoners back into the Champions League.

However, he'll need Daniel Levy and Co to properly back him in the transfer market to do that.

The good news is that recent reports suggest that's precisely what they plan to do, as the latest name touted for a move to N17 is someone who lit the league alight last year and would surely help get even more out of James Maddison.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham are now exploring a move for Bournemouth's star striker, Dominic Solanke.

The Italian has revealed that the English forward is now among the Lilywhites' targets for the rest of this window, although given his massive importance to the Cherries, securing his services could prove challenging.

The respected journalist claims no formal bid has been made and does not mention a potential fee for the player, but according to reports from earlier this summer, the former Liverpool man could cost up to £60m.

It would be an undeniably expensive deal for Spurs, but given Solanke's form last season and their need for more goals, he might prove to be worth it, and he could help make Maddison unplayable.

Why Solanke would be an incredible teammate for Maddison

Okay, so while there are likely several reasons why bringing Solanke to Spurs would be a great idea, from his homegrown status to preventing other teams from signing him, it ultimately boils down to one simple factor: his output.

It's his ability to score goals and even produce the odd assist here and there that makes him such an appealing striker and a potentially brilliant teammate for Maddison.

For example, in 42 appearances for the Cherries last season, the "predatory" marksman, as dubbed by former professional Kris Boyd, scored a whopping 21 goals and provided four assists.

This means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.68 games for the South Coast side. He also would've been the top scorer in Postecoglou's squad and the second most productive player overall, behind only Son Heung-min.

It's this impressive ability to put chances away so efficiently that would see him make Maddison unplayable. For example, while his tally of 21 goals is impressive in and of itself, it's even more so by the fact that he overachieved his expected goals across all competitions by 1.4, per FBref.

This might not seem like a massive differential, and to be fair, it isn't earth-shattering, but it does demonstrate just how clinical the former Chelsea prospect has become at Bournemouth. So, while the Lilywhites' £40m man's nine assists in 30 appearances was a good return last season, he'd likely rack up far more with a striker as clinical as the Reading-born poacher ahead of him.

Ultimately, while the fee could prove costly, Spurs could become a far more effective attacking force with Solanke leading the line next season. Therefore, Levy and Co must do what they can to bring him to N17 this summer, as under Postecoglou and alongside Maddison, he could be genuinely incredible.

Tottenham chiefs are "determined" to sell striker Richarlison this summer, despite him finishing last season as their second top goalscorer in all competitions, and it is believed one forward in particular is keen on replacing him.

Richarlison linked with Spurs exit amid interest from Saudi Arabia

The former Everton star endured an underwhelming debut campaign at Spurs under former boss Antonio Conte, scoring just once in 27 league appearances, after making the move from Goodison Park in a deal worth £60 million.

Richarlison, in comments to the Brazilian press late last year, opened up about his struggles with mental health issues off the field, which could've been a key reason behind some of his performances, but then backed himself to come back stronger under Ange Postecoglou.

“On the field I’m a happy team player, I try to help as much as possible," said Richarlison on his psychological challenges.

"Sometimes, things don’t go the way we want. I think this part is a bit of the off-field side that ended up getting in my way. Even though you want to do things right, it ends up going wrong. I will continue to focus on the club, the storm has passed.

“I went through a turbulent time in the last five months off the field. Now things are right at home. People who only had an eye on my money walked away from me. Now things will start to flow, I’m sure I’ll get a good run at Tottenham and make things happen again.”

The 27-year-old proved himself correct, as things did start to flow for him in a Lilywhites jersey.

A phenomenal mid-season purple patch saw Richarlison bag nine goals in eight Premier League appearances from mid-December through to early February, finishing 23/24 as Tottenham's second top scorer behind Son Heung-min with 12 goals and four assists in all competitions.

However, it has been reported this summer window that Spurs are willing to sell the South American regardless. Technical director Johan Lange, chairman Daniel Levy and the wider recruitment team are fully aware of interest from the Middle East, with clubs in Saudi Arabia keen on signing Richarlison.

Lange is prepared to green-light Richarlison's exit for £60 million, according to some reports, and GiveMeSport have now gone one step further.

Tottenham "determined" to sell Richarlison with Ivan Toney keen to join

According to the news outlet, Tottenham are determined to sell Richarlison in the coming weeks, and it is believed that Brentford striker Ivan Toney likes the idea of joining Spurs as his potential replacement.

Saudi sides are still keeping a watchful eye on Richarlison, while Spurs have "emerged" as Toney's "most likely landing spot". The Bees forward, who is reportedly valued at around £50 million, wants to join a club with regular European football prospects and Tottenham fit the bill.

GMS sources close to the situation claim a move for Toney could go right down to the wire, meaning it may not be completed till nearer the end of the window, so it will be interesting to see how this develops.

The Premier League is just over two weeks away, and while Tottenham Hotspur have looked good so far in pre-season, they still need to strengthen to ensure Ange Postecoglou can lead them up the table this year.

The club have been linked to a plethora of talented players this summer, from Eberechi Eze to Jonathan David, but at the moment, the only signings Daniel Levy and Co have made have been Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok.

However, that could be about to change, as recent reports have revealed that the club are making progress towards signing an incredibly talented attacker who has been compared to Dejan Kulusevski in the past.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Pedro Neto and have 'intensified their efforts' to secure his services this summer.

The report claims that the Lilywhites have now held further talks with the winger, who remains high on Postecoglou's wish list this summer.

A potential fee for the £50k-per-week star is not mentioned in the story, but previous reports from this month indicate that he could cost as much as £50m to £60m.

From a purely financial perspective, that might be too high a fee for Spurs to stomach, but considering how talented Neto is, maybe Levy and Co should splash the cash a little bit on this one - his comparison to Kulusevski is just a nice bonus.

Why Neto would be a great signing and his comparison to Kulusevski

Okay, so before we look at Neto's impressive output and why he'd be so good for Spurs, let's first examine this comparison to the Lilywhites' Swedish international and where it came from.

Well, aside from their obvious positional similarity, this comparison stems from FBref, which compared all attacking midfielders and wingers in the 2022/23 Premier League season, created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and concluded that Kulusevski was the most similar to the Wolves ace in the entire competition that year.

The way they came to this conclusion is by looking at their underlying numbers and then comparing how closely they rank in several key metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, passing accuracy, crosses into the penalty area, through balls, goal-creating actions, tackles won, clearances and carries, all per 90.

However, while it's a nice bonus and interesting to think about, Levy and Co are obviously not going to base their decision to sign the Portuguese star soley on his similarity to the former Juventus ace. Instead, they'll focus on his impressive form last season.

For example, in just 24 appearances for the Old Gold, the Viana do Castelo-born "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, found the back of the net on three occasions and provided 11 assists for his teammates, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.71 games.

Moreover, this haul of 14 goals and assists would have made the 24-year-old the fourth most productive Spurs player last season, despite the lack of games he played. This brings us to the one significant drawback in signing him: his fitness, or lack thereof.

Across the entirety of last season, the former Lazio winger missed 23 games for club and country, and while that is certainly something to consider, the upside of him moving to Tottenham is that, with the brilliant wide talent already at Postecoglou's disposal, he may well get more time to rest, thus minimising his injury risk.

Ultimately, Neto is an undeniably talented player who could light up the Premier League with the Lilywhites, and while his fee and injury history are significant, so is the potential upside. Therefore, the North Londoners should push ahead and bring him to N17 this summer, as it may just be a gamble that pays off.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is personally targeting a £60 million forward, and it is believed the Lilywhites have opened talks with him.

Spurs expected to sign second attacker after Timo Werner

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy re-negotiated Timo Werner's loan deal to extend his stay until next summer, with the new arrangement also including a cheaper option to buy set at around £8.5 million.

The German's two goals and three assists in the Premier League helped Postecoglou's side to Europa League qualification, with his searing pace and positional awareness proving a real asset at times.

However, there are concerns over his overall finishing ability, while uncertainty surrounds the long-term futures of both Son Heung-min and Richarlison - who were Tottenham's two top scorers in all competitions last season.

Son's contract expires next summer as things stand, while Richarlison could still be sold by Tottenham. The Brazilian is thought to be attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, with technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team open to selling for the right offer (HITC).

Tottenham will also need a replacement for winger Bryan Gil, who has sealed a season-long loan move to Girona, and the La Liga side could sign him permanently for around £12.6 million due to the release clause in his new contract.

Both Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and Wolves winger Pedro Neto are on Spurs' list of attacking targets, and that has been confirmed by reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

"There is appreciation from Spurs for Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace - and also with all of the other options we always mention here like Pedro Neto, this is absolutely confirmed," said Romano on Playback (via GiveMeSport).

"So Tottenham like Eze and like Pedro Neto, and they have decided how much they want to spend in that position. So there is internal conversation, but they will bring in one more player in that position for sure - one more offensive player."

Postecoglou targeting Neto as Tottenham hold talks with him

Football Transfers have shared an update on their pursuit of Neto in particular, coming as discussions over a move for Eze stall.

They claim Postecoglou is personally targeting Neto as Tottenham hold talks with him over personal terms. The Portugal international is said to feature prominently in the Spurs head coach's plans, coming after he bagged 11 assists and three goals in all competitions last season.

He won't come cheap, though, as reports suggest Wolves want around £60 million to let him go. There is also the matter of his concerning injury record, with Neto missing a combined 112 games through fitness issues since joining from Lazio (Transfermarkt).

The 24-year-old was absent for extended periods on multiple occasions due to hamstring problems last season, so Spurs will have to consider this very carefully.

It's been a good summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year, with the exciting signings of youngsters Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok already in the bag and four wins out of four, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over the K-League XI yesterday.

However, the Premier League will be back underway in just over two weeks, and with the teams around them strengthening, Spurs must bring in more first-team-ready stars to help Ange Postecoglou fulfil his goals.

Fortunately, reports indicate that Daniel Levy and Co have been hard at work in the market and could be about to pull off an exciting hijack of a major deal for a player who has won comparisons to the Lilywhites' own Pape Matar Sarr in the past.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham are planning to hijack Atlético Madrid's signing of Conor Gallagher.

The report claims that Chelsea are still seeking an offer in excess of £40m, which would be more than the £33m bid they have supposedly accepted from the Madrid-based side, per sources in Spain via BBC Sport.

As things stand, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that the player's decision now is whether to move to Spain or remain in England, meaning the Lilywhites still have a chance to hijack the deal with that higher offer, per Football Insider's exclusive report.

It would be a complicated transfer to get over the line, and a potentially unpopular one at that, but he proved his talent last season, and the fact that he's been compared to Sarr in the past is further evidence of his quality.

Why Gallagher would be a great signing and his comparison to Sarr

Okay, so before we look at a couple of the reasons why Gallagher would be a great addition to Spurs' squad, let's first take a look at this comparison to Sarr and where on earth it's come from, as we can imagine it's left a few of you scratching your heads.

Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the Premier League last season, created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and concluded that, in this case, the Lilywhites ace was the sixth most similar midfielder to the Chelsea man across the entire league.

While the most obvious comparison to make is their position, FBref came to this conclusion by examining their respective underlying numbers and highlighting the metrics in which they ranked very closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals, progressive carries, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, interceptions, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

However, while the comparisons to the incredibly gifted Senegalese midfielder are certainly a bonus, they're clearly not the sole reason for signing the "irreplaceable" Englishman, as Glenn Murray described him on Match of the Day.

For example, while he's proven himself to be a valuable player at the heart of the Pensioners' midfield, thanks to his boundless energy and desire to disrupt opponents, he has also shown that he can influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch.

In his 50 appearances last season, he scored seven goals and provided nine assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.12 games for the Blues. This haul of 16 goal involvements would have made him the joint-second most productive player for the North Londoners.

Ultimately, while there is understandable resistance to signing him from some Spurs supporters given his connection to Chelsea, Gallagher is a talented midfielder and would likely thrive in a Postecoglou system, and while this deal still feels unlikely, Levy and Co should go all out to bring him to N17 this summer.