Summary Ange Postecoglou has turned doubters into believers at Tottenham Hotspur, with the team now capable of sustaining their strong form. The defense is still a concern for Spurs, despite some positive signings, and strengthening it should be a priority in the winter market. Tottenham is reportedly interested in signing Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, who would bring composure and versatility to their backline and fit well into Postecoglou's system.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has manufactured an incredible turnaround in north London after taking the manager’s seat in June.
The former Celtic manager closed the door on his dynasty at Parkhead to try his hand in the Premier League, joining a Spurs side that needed more than just a spruce up.
He’s very quickly turned doubters to believers and now rivals fear that the division’s table-toppers are very much capable of sustaining their purple patch and preserving a position in and around the forefront.
In the summer, there was much furore within Premier League discourse surrounding Harry Kane’s transfer to German giants Bayern Munich, and while Spurs have lost their club record scorer, Postecoglou has triumphed in restoring the attacking verve regardless.
Kane's newfound exploits in Germany are watched through a poignant lense down the N17, but the best remedy for such footballing scenarios is found in success on the pitch, which Postecoglou has crafted in abundance.
Heung-min Son's prolific performances as the new focal frontman have been charged by James Maddison's superlative creativity from behind – the pair chipping in with eight goals and five assists, respectively, this season – but it isn't the offensive department that requires immediate attention, with the winter market looming.
Despite effectively patching up last term's leaky backline with the £43m acquisition of Micky van de Ven from German side Wolfsburg, the defence still needs strengthening if Spurs are to return to European competition and prosper in seasons to come.
Cristian Romero and his new Dutch partner have been immense, but should injury befall either then it could be detrimental to Tottenham's illustrious ambitions, and, as such, a first-class new member is being targetted.
Tottenham transfer news – Trevoh Chalobah
Postecoglou has advised Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and the club chiefs to complete transfer business early in the winter market, effectively confirming the decision that movement will occur in January, and the bolstering of the backline will likely take precedence.
With Eric Dier expected to depart in 2024 and depth not favouring the London side's central defence, another first-rate player would be welcomed with open arms, so it's little surprise that Postecoglou is among the admirers of Chelsea centre-half Trevoh Chalobah.
According to a report from TEAMtalk last month, Tottenham are set to rival West Ham United for the Blues man's signature despite German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich's vested interest.
Fabrizio Romano has corroborated claims of his possible departure, revealing that the versatile defender feels that the time is right to leave Stamford Bridge and the club officials' views align with his.
Bayern have done their homework after pushing for the 24-year-old's services in the summer, to no avail, with Chelsea deterring suitors after demanding £45m; talented as he may be, this seems somewhat exorbitant.
Trevoh Chalobah's style of play
The £50k-per-week gem has now completed 63 appearances for the west London outfit, scoring four goals and supplying one assist, after previously enjoying a string of loan spells.
Once described as an "ice cold" presence at the back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Chalobah would bring the composure that eluded Spurs last season, buttressing a backline with restored vigour and togetherness.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Passing
Concentration
Tackling
Aerial duels
Ball retention
*Sourced via WhoScored
Last season, while Chelsea endured a torrid season, Chalobah produced many solid displays, completing 89% of his passes in the Premier League as he alternated between central defence and right-back, also making 2.2 clearances per game, succeeding with 89% of his dribbles and winning 63% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.
He is a natural distributor and would fit into Postecoglou's system well, with the Australian manager's Tottenham team built upon fluid passing moves, build-up play through the thirds and a maximisation of width to overlap, enveloping the attacking box.
How Trevoh Chalobah would perform at Tottenham
Tottenham could make good use of such a defender as Chalobah, who is tenacious in the tackle and progressive in his passing, with the added bonus of finding a home across multiple roles.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 2 dynamo ranks among the top 17% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for passes attempted, the top 7% for progressive carries, the top 11% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for tackles per 90.
It's a neat and varied spread of skills, and given that Manchester City's defensive machine Josko Gvardiol has been listed as a comparable player – as per FBref – it's no wonder that Postecoglou is so interested in signing the Chelsea player.
Gvardiol has cemented himself as one of European football's most attractive defensive options over the past few years, starring for RB Leipzig in Germany and dazzling for Croatia on the international stage, prompting City manager Pep Guardiola to forge ahead and secure his services in a £78m deal in August.
The £200k-per-week Citizen ranks among the top 17% of positional peers for goals, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for passes attempted, and the top 7% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.
Heralded as a "Rolls-Royce" by journalist Zach Lowy for his shiny showings, the 22-year-old, like Chalobah, is competent both in central defence and as a full-back, where he has featured regularly for City since his summer switch.
The former Leipzig star's protean and progressive threat sets him apart from the lion's share of similar players, and this is something that Chalobah could emulate at Tottenham.
Pedro Porro has made the right channel his own this season, while Romero and Van de Ven have been excellent in partnership in front of Guglielmo Vicario's goal, but the current endeavours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hint at rich fortunes that will require reinforcements.
Whether Tottenham win the Premier League this season is a question not worth asking right now, but there is an expectation at this stage to sustain a bid for Champions League football next year at the very least, and Chalobah's signing is exactly the kind of prudent move to make in this regard.
Whether Tottenham could convince Chalobah, described as a "soldier" by former manager Graham Potter last season, to resist the allure of Bavaria remains to be seen, but given the exciting project and the promise of ample opportunities to impress, he might be persuaded to ply his trade in London, switching blue for white.
