Tottenham Hotspur are slowly fading away in the race to the top of the Premier League points table this season as they now stand at 6th place, 14 games into the season. The manager will not be too happy with the performances of his side in recent games and is sure to spend big on exciting players in the January transfer market next month.
There are a number of star players who have been extensively linked with a move to the club and one player the manager is now reportedly keen on is West Ham United playmaker Manuel Lanzini.
Reports claim that Spurs are ready to test the resolve of the Hammers in January with a substantial bid. The Hammers are currently struggling at the bottom of the table and the 24-year old could be tempted to play under Mauricio Pochettino but is he the right man for Spurs?
With 15 goals and 5 assists in 70 Premier League appearances in over two seasons under Slaven Bilic, the Argentine playmaker has been one of the most effective players at the club during his time in London. In 31 starts last season, Lanzini picked up 8 goals and 2 assists – his best return in a top flight season and is showing gradual improvement by the year.
He has just a goal and an assist this season but has easily been West Ham’s best player in the final third. In his most successful season, Lanzini averaged 1.54 key passes per game, creating 1.60 chances per game. He has a passing accuracy of 87% (better than Eriksen this season) and has a successful take-on rate of 69.23% (better than Dele Alli this season) showing that he belongs at the highest level.
He also makes 1.37 interceptions per game, which shows his defensive ability, something that will attract Pochettino. He has created 1.78 key passes and 1.89 chances per game this season and is surely a player who deserves to play for a team at the top end of the table.
He is an integral part of the squad under David Moyes, who is unlikely to let him leave, especially with his contract running until 2020. But if Spurs offer a big amount, Lanzini could well be the answer to their missing piece of their attacking jigsaw.
At 24, he is a star for the future and is perfect for Pochettino’s style of play. He has accustomed himself to life at the English capital already and could be the signing Spurs fans are crying out for in January.