Spurs eyeing “wonderful” £15m Kulusevski upgrade after Alasdair Gold reveal
BY
JACK SALVESON HOLMES
PUBLISHED 29 MINUTES AGO
The incredibly talented winger could help Postecoglou bridge the gap to the top four next season.
Tottenham star Dejan Kulusevski celebrates
While Tottenham Hotspur ultimately failed to qualify for the Champions League this season, Ange Postecoglou’s ability to secure Europa League football without Harry Kane at the club means that, on balance, the campaign has to be viewed as a success.
However, the footballing world moves quickly, so the North Londoners will already be hard at work planning their summer transfer window, with the ambition of clawing back a top-four place next season.
In fact, one of the latest players touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect first signing of the summer, even if their arrival could threaten Dejan Kulusevksi’s place in the side.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from renowned journalist Alasdair Gold, Tottenham Hotspur are “keeping an eye” on Sporting CP’s star winger Marcus Edwards ahead of the summer window.
One of the reasons the club are interested in the Englishman, beyond his ability, is that he’s a homegrown talent who came up through the Lilywhites’ academy system before moving to Portugal in September 2019.
It was reported in September 2022 that the winger had a £52m release clause inserted in his contract with Sporting, but Gold has claimed the Lisbon-based club value the 25-year-old at around £15m plus add-ons.
In all, it looks like it could be a relatively straightforward deal for Daniel Levy and Co to pull off, and if they can get him for that price, one they can’t afford to miss, even if it impacts Kulusevski.
How Edwards compares to Kulusevski
Now, suggesting that Edwards could come in to challenge Kulusevski for a starting spot on the right may sound egregious to some, but the Englishman has been putting in impressive performances in Portugal for several seasons now and has the stats to show it.
In all, it looks like it could be a relatively straightforward deal for Daniel Levy and Co to pull off, and if they can get him for that price, one they can’t afford to miss, even if it impacts Kulusevski.
How Edwards compares to Kulusevski
Now, suggesting that Edwards could come in to challenge Kulusevski for a starting spot on the right may sound egregious to some, but the Englishman has been putting in impressive performances in Portugal for several seasons now and has the stats to show it.
In comparison, Spurs’ Swedish international managed just two goals and eight assists in 37 games last season while doing slightly better this year, managing a haul of eight goals and three assists in 39 games, giving him an average of a goal involvement every 3.61 games.
Edwards vs Kulusevski
2022/23
Edwards
Kulusevski
Appearances
51
37
Goals
12
2
Assists
14
8
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.27
2023/24
Edwards
Kulusevski
Appearances
44
39
Goals
6
8
Assists
9
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.28
All Stats via Transfermarkt
It’s not just in their raw output that the “wonderful” Englishman, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, comes out ahead, though, as his underlying numbers are also superior.
For example, while the former Juventus man maintains a better-passing accuracy and wins more aerial duels per 90, the Sporting star produces a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, produces more progressive passes and carries, takes more shots and shots on target and produces more shot and goal-creating actions, also all per 90.
Edwards vs Kulusevski
Stats per 90
Edwards
Kulusevski
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.71
0.40
Progressive Passes
4.88
4.69
Progressive Carries
5.21
4.92
Shots
2.19
1.81
Shots on Target
0.93
0.69
Passing Accuracy
74.9%
77.2%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.77
4.14
Goal-Creating Actions
0.74
0.26
Successful Take-Ons
2.05
1.76
Aerial Duels Won
0.05
0.23
All Stats via FBref for 23/24
The London-born star is also a more accomplished dribbler than his potential competition, lending credence to Owen Hargreaves’ claim that he often “leaves people for dead” when going forward.I’m threat to Kulusevski and, for the price being reported, an absolute bargain.
