Same old Tottenham Hotspur. That was the hackneyed phrase that was thrown about when managerless Spurs concluded a 2022/23 campaign that had resulted in the dismissal of Antonio Conte in March – the fourth sacking in as many years – and presaged the summer sale of Harry Kane.
An eighth-placed Premier League finish meant that the current campaign would be spent on English shores, but Ange Postecoglou was appointed from Celtic to pump life back into a proud outfit searching for success.
Spurs could sign Kulusevski clone with move for "special" £21m gem
Ange Postecoglou could continue the London club’s revival emphatically with this acquisition.
ByAngus Sinclair Dec 14, 2023
Kane was sold but Tottenham spent wisely during the summer transfer market to plant the seeds for an exciting campaign, and while a five-match winless run has halted the revolution, Postecoglou is building something in London and will now look to sign a new talisman to continue the rebuild.
Tottenham transfer news – Ivan Toney
According to a report from the Mirror last week, Tottenham are interested in signing a wealth of players this winter, with Brentford striker Ivan Toney among the options for transfer.
Toney, a one-cap England international, has been suspended since May after breaching FA betting rules and remains ineligible for selection until January 23rd, 2024.
The Mirror reveal that while Postecoglou is desperate to strengthen his backline, Tottenham remain in the running for Toney, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal also eager to complete a deal after the new year.
While sources suggest that Toney will remain at the Gtech Community Stadium until the end of the season, Brentford manager Thomas Frank is actually open for discussions, however, he has given the 27-year-old a staggering £100m price tag as per Sky Sports.
Ivan Toney's style of play
Kane might have been sold to Bayern Munich in August but Heung-min Son – appointed club captain this year – has excelled in an unnatural striker's role, scoring ten goals and supplying four assists across 16 appearances this term, mostly as the focal frontman.
But he is a left winger, and while Son's dynamism allows him to find success wherever he is placed across the frontline, Postecoglou will need to sign an out-and-out forward, and Toney could be the man, having been said to be "like Harry Kane" by England teammate Declan Rice.
Finishing
Offside awareness
Through balls
Passing
Direct free-kicks
Aerial duels
*Sourced via WhoScored
Not just a goalscorer, the £36k-per-week star ranks among the top 22% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 6% for interceptions and the top 17% for aerial duels per 90, as per FBref.
Said to have the "mindset of a lion" by his manager, who has also called him a "monster" of a player, Toney is tenacious and indeed ravenous for goals, something that has certainly been reflected in his exploits over the past several years, having emerged as a deadly option for Brentford as they have risen to the fore of English football under Frank's guidance.
Ivan Toney's Premier League stats
Toney has been immense for Brentford over the past years, and after scoring 31 times in the 2021/22 campaign to send his side to the top tier of English football, he bagged 12 goals from 32 outings in his Premier League term.
Last season, Toney was utterly sensational as he led the line for the buzzing Bees, plundering 20 goals from 33 Premier League matches and creating 12 big chances for his teammates.
Perhaps it would be wise to put that in perspective: last term, Kane created 14 big chances in the Premier League – he pips Toney, sure, but how many strikers can go punch for punch with Kane's creativity?
While he only completed 62% of his passes (which is admittedly not great) this was largely due to his unyielding urge to influence the play and make things happen.
How Ivan Toney could help Richarlison
Having been noted for his "unique" style by Frank – who appears to have a constant stream of superlatives when discussing his star striker – Toney offers something different and could be the perfect player to serve as the arrowhead in Postecoglou's system.
The confluence of style with Son could be something wonderful, with the South Korean boasting the whole gamut of attacking skills that would allow him to supplement the prospective recruit with constancy, and vice versa.
But perhaps the acquisition of Toney could also bring the very best out of Richarlison, who has been struggling to make his mark down the N17 but did leave an impression one week ago against Newcastle, scoring either side of half-time to play a pivotal role in his outfit's return to the win column.
Signing for the Lilywhites from Everton for £60m in 2022, the Brazilian forward failed to impress and only netted one league goal all season, though he has improved since the summer and has posted four goals and three assists from just nine starts in the Premier League this year.
While Richarlison is displaying signs of improvement, he could take his game to the next level with a partner such as Toney beside him, a counterweight of sorts, providing a multi-faceted approach that would leave the 26-year-old well-placed to start building that goal tally.
The Brazilian ranks among the top 8% of positional peers for assists, the top 21% for progressive carries, the top 5% for tackles and the top 5% for interceptions per 90, showcasing the creative spark and defensive application that has prompted Postecoglou to keep the faith in him thus far.
Described as a "fighter" by former Spurs director Fabio Paratici, Richarlison's shown himself to be a pretty reliable source of supplementation this season; the hope is that he now builds on his recent performances and finally starts living up to that lofty price tag.
With Toney alongside him and providing him with competition for a starting berth, Richarlison will receive the fuel he needs to take his game to the next level.