On Sunday morning, Tottenham Hotspur finally landed their first defensive reinforcement of the transfer window, securing a deal for Lens centre-back Kevin Danso.
The Austrian looked set for a loan move to fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Ange Postecoglou’s side stepped in at the final hour to secure a deal for the 26-year-old.
The hierarchy forked out €25m (£20m) for his signature, adding the needed depth that the side has desperately been crying out for in their recent defensive injury crisis.
Such a deal should allow Archie Gray to finally feature in a more natural midfield or full-back role, as Danso looks to offer that defensive solidity that the backline has been starved of in recent weeks.
He could be joined in North London by one player after the hierarchy made inroads to land another attacking talent at the top end of the pitch before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
Spurs make enquiry to land attacking star
According to TBR, Spurs have made a late enquiry to land Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku to add needed depth to the centre-forward position.
The Frenchman joined the Blues for £52m during the summer of 2023 but has found game time extremely hard to come by, starting just three Premier League games in 2024/25.
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The report claims that Enzo Maresca’s side are open to allowing the 27-year-old to leave, but doesn’t state whether any move would be a temporary or permanent one.
Despite his lack of minutes, Nkunku has still produced an impressive record throughout the ongoing campaign, notching 13 goals across 29 appearances in all competitions.
He would be a solid addition, one that could cover for Dominic Solanke whilst also providing competition to the Englishman, whilst also allowing them to forget about a move for another attacking star.
Why Nkunku would be way better than Tel for Spurs
At one stage, it looked as though Spurs would complete a move for Bayern Munich youngster Mathys Tel after agreeing a €60m (£50m) fee with the Bundesliga outfit for the teenager.
Owner Daniel Levy even flew out to Munich to hold personal talks with the forward in order to advance a deal to see the Frenchman move to North London before the end of the window.
However, Tel decided to reject a move to join Postecoglou’s side, not ruling out staying in Germany but also opening the door to other English sides as a result.
Such a decision has seen the club struggle to identify any other forward options, that was until the enquiry was made to land Nkunku before the closure of the window this evening.
However, Tel’s decision could prove to be a blessing in disguise, with the Chelsea ace undoubtedly a better option based on their respective figures from the current season.
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How Nkunku compares to Tel in 2024/25 so far |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Nkunku |
Tel |
|
Games played |
19 |
8 |
|
Goals & assists |
3 |
1 |
|
Shot-on-target accuracy |
40% |
30% |
|
Pass accuracy |
91% |
84% |
|
Shot-creating actions |
4 |
1.9 |
|
Aerials won |
1.9 |
0.4 |
|
Carries into the opposition box |
1.7 |
1.1 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
Nkunku, who’s previously been dubbed “world-class” by Pep Guardiola, has massively outscored the Bayern star, whilst also posting a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, demonstrating his clinical edge within the final third.
He’s also managed to complete more carries into the 18-yard box, along with more than double the number of shot-creating actions – once again showcasing his ability to create carnage within attacking areas, something which Ange desperately wants to add to his side.
Whilst it’s unclear if he would like to move across London before the end of the window, it’s evident that the former RB Leipzig man has a lot of quality that would drastically improve the options currently at the Spurs boss’ disposal.
It could be another hefty investment from Levy after Danso’s own transfer, but after the new arrival at the back, one is still desperately needed at the top end, with Nkunku the man who could provide the difference in the months ahead.
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