Tottenham may not see Ryan Sessegnon as a left back
Ryan Sessegnon could be a forward at Tottenham
Many pundits are speculating that Tottenham are chasing Ryan Sessegnon to replace Danny Rose as Mauricio Pochettino’s left back. The reality is that Spurs could easily see the English starlet’s future much higher up the pitch.
Reports from England claim that Tottenham have defeated Liverpool in the race for the Fulham star. Sessegnon burst onto the scene for Fulham this year at the tender age of 17-years-old. His play for both club and country captured the attention of many of Europe’s elite clubs.
It’s true that he played most often for England’s youth and Fulham as a left back. However, closer look at his performances this season show that he played better the further he was moved up the pitch. In some ways that seems odd considering Sessegnon’s speed and propensity to make a physical challenge.
On the other, those are characteristics that Pochettino loves to see further up the pitch. When fit, Erik Lamela’s physicality is a big reason that he finds himself a member of the Spurs starting XI. It’s entirely possible the Pochettino sees Sessegnon as injury insurance for his fragile countryman.
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The statistics don’t lie. Sessegnon posted a very respectable Whoscored.com player rating average of 6.90 in his 12 starts as a left back. His ratings increase significantly when you look at how he played as both a midfielder and forward. The Englishman earned a mark of 7.20 in his three starts all the way up top and a stellar rating of 7.81 in his pair of starts as an attacking midfielder.
Admittedly, that’s a pretty small sample size. There’s a reason that Fulham elected to start him at the back more often than not. It’s clearly where his comfort zone is. Pochettino isn’t a manager that fears presenting players with new challenges. It’s highly possible that he’d push Sessegnon out of his comfort zone into a more attacking role.
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What should be clear here is that Sessegnon is a versatile talent that can positively impact Tottenham at a number of spots on the pitch. The idea that the club shouldn’t sign him because they possess two quality left backs is rubbish. He’s simply too talented not to sign if you have the opportunity. Pochettino will find a way to get a player with his exceptional talent on the pitch.