Tottenham desperately need a midfield spark to tie their attack together. Philippe Coutinho would be the perfect addition for Jose Mourinho’s squad.
The sale of Christian Eriksen to Inter Milan has left Tottenham without a creative midfielder capable of tying their attack together. Signing Philippe Coutinho this summer would allow Spurs to emphatically address their biggest need.
According to the Brazillian’s representatives, he would “love” a return to England’s top flight. Tottenham would be one of several Premier League clubs interested in acquiring his services. Such a move might be awkward financially for Spurs, but Coutinho’s fit on the pitch cannot be questioned.
He’s perfectly suited for the way Jose Mourinho wants the club’s midfield to operate. Harry Kane will continue to be the club’s top striker, absent a mind-blowing transfer bid in the summer. What Kane desperately needs is a player capable of taking some of the goal scoring pressure away while also providing assists for the rest of the club’s attackers.
Coutinho is the rare attacking midfielder who can check both boxes. He’s at his best when he’s permitted time and space on the ball to create for his teammates. His ability to thread silky through balls would be a delight for the wide players currently employed at Spurs. Speedsters like Heung-Min Son or Lucas Moura would find a lot of joy on the end of Coutinho’s perfectly weighted passes.
His greatest boost to Tottenham would be his ability to unlock defenses who to try sit back to cancel out luminaries like Kane and Son. During Mourinho’s brief time at the club, opponents have enjoyed great success employing a low block against his side. It’s unclear how the tactic would’ve worked against a fully fit Spurs side, but it’s a troubling trend for Tottenham moving forward.
What is clear is just how well suited Coutinho is to breaking down that type of defence. He absolutely thrived at Liverpool playing high-tempo soccer that would suit Tottenham’s attack perfectly. His ability to move the ball along quickly and run into open space is a quality Tottenham have been missing as of late.
Midfielders like Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele have been unable to keep the ball moving quickly under Mourinho. That’s highlighted the absence of Eriksen in the team’s starting XI. It’s also made finding a true No. 10 the club’s top priority moving forward.
Coutinho represents the best, somewhat realistic option available to the club this summer. It’s clear that Barcelona desperately want to offload his salary. The question is how much they’re willing to sacrifice in terms of a transfer fee. It’s a question Tottenham must find an answer to.
If Spurs can answer that question in the affirmative, Coutinho has the individual talent to elevate Tottenham into becoming a legitimate Premier League title contender next season.
It’s not an exaggeration to say he would be the missing piece for Mourinho’s side. The question now becomes whether or not Daniel Levy can actually complete such an ambitious transfer move for the club.