Tottenham Hotspur may now be languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, yet there is no sense that this struggling side have given up on their manager just yet, having put in a battling performance at home to Newcastle United last time out.
With Ange Postecoglou forced to put out a particularly depleted backline amid a raft of injuries – with Djed Spence and Archie Gray lining up at centre-back for the second half – the Lilywhites arguably deserved more on Saturday afternoon, having come close to grabbing an equaliser in the second-half as Brennan Johnson’s driven effort flashed agonisingly across the box.
Alas, it is not quite happening for the north London side at the minute, with rumours rife regarding potential replacements for the Aussie in the dugout, yet now could be the time to back Postecoglou, rather than show him the axe.
Indeed, the former Celtic boss has not been aided by the lack of squad depth at his disposal at present, with reinforcements certainly needed this month if this calendar year is to prove far more fruitful than the last.
Latest on Spurs' midfield search
As reported by Italian outlet AreaNapoli, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is said to have lodged an official offer for Palmeiras midfielder, Richard Rios, with the Colombian international emerging as a ‘concrete target’ for those at N17.
No mention was made of the nature of the bid, with the Brazilian outfit having reportedly rejected the proposal in order to keep the 24-year-old on board ahead of their involvement in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Whether Spurs can produce a fresh approach to secure a more immediate arrival remains to be seen, with the in-demand talent – who reportedly has a €100m (£83m) release clause in his existing deal – seemingly a figure who could re-energise the club’s midfield ranks.
Spurs' perfect Bissouma upgrade
One area that has been a problem for Postecoglou of late is that number six berth at the base of the midfield, with the previously injury-hit Rodrigo Bentancur having endured a spell on the sidelines due to suspension, while Yves Bissouma has endured his own disciplinary woes to date.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Indeed, neither man has been able to truly nail down that starting role in 2024/25, with Bissouma having made ten Premier League starts thus far, while Bentancur has started nine times in the top-flight.
An upgrade is needed, hence where Rios – who has chalked up 13 goals and assists in 102 games for his current side – can come into the equation.
According to data analyst Ben Mattinson, Rios is a “ball-carrying machine” who represents “Colombia’s very own Yves Bissouma”, ensuring he could slot in perfectly as an upgrade on the Mali international.
As indicated in the table below, Rios comes out on top in a string of both attacking and defensive metrics amid his most recent league run (2024), with the one-time Flamengo man notably a more creative outlet, as shown by his superior record with regard to shot-creating actions.
Metric (*per 90)
Bissouma (24/25)
Rios (2024)
Games
16
24
Goals
2
3
Assists
0
4
Progressive passes*
6.21
5.31
Progressive carries*
1.36
1.39
Progressive passes received*
0.19
2.63
Shot-creating actions*
1.17
2.47
Tackles*
3.01
3.35
Blocks*
0.58
1.39
Interceptions*
1.26
1.19
That ability to create from deep – while also contributing in a defensive sense – could make the 6 foot 2 powerhouse perfect for the Postecoglou system, helping to freshen up a part of the pitch that has been something of an issue of late.
With the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski ahead of him, Rios could present a dream foil for those creative figures, with Mattinson particularly impressed by his ability to “eat up a lot of ground in a short space of time”, ensuring he can take Spurs from defence to attack in an instant.
That front-foot approach would be just what Postecoglou is craving, with the hope being that Levy can get a deal over the line over the coming weeks, rather than waiting until the summer.
Spurs lead race to sign Dragusin upgrade who's a huge "unit at the back"
The promising centre-back would be a brilliant addition to Spurs’ squad.
1 ByJack Salveson HolmesJan 7, 2025