Tottenham are closing in on Zenit’s Axel Witsel
Axel Witsel could be just the boost the Tottenham midfield need for next year’s Champions League push
Long-time Tottenham target Axel Witsel has revealed that he definitely wants to leave Zenit this summer. Count on Spurs to be first in line to sign the talented Belgian midfielder.
The London Evening Standard quotes Witsel as saying he wants to play in a “better league” next season and he regards the Premier League as the best championship in the world. It’s not hard to see him fitting in at Tottenham alongside Spurs’ robust Belgian contingent.
The Belgian midfielder only has one year left on his deal with the Russian giants so it’s expected that Zenit won’t command an exorbitant fee to sign Witsel. That’s good news for Spurs fans who know their club will be extremely conservative about the money they spend this summer in preparation for the costs of new stadium construction.
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Midfield is a position where Spurs appear to have lots of options, but when you examine the group in-depth there are a lot of question marks as well. The trio of Nabil Bentaleb, Ryan Mason and Tom Carroll have all played significant minutes for the club this season, but their roles for next year are unclear. Mason seems like a good bet to carve out a role, while Carroll and Bentaleb face more uncertain futures.
As it stands, Spurs have been forced to rely heavily on Eric Dier to man one defensive midfield spot during all of their competitions. He’s held up remarkably well despite this stress, but it’s hard to imagine him avoiding injury if subjected to that kind of playing time two years in a row.
Starlet Dele Alli played a lot of matches in the double-pivot early on this season, but as the season has progressed he’s steadily played a more advance role for manager Mauricio Pochettino. Given his scoring connection with Spurs forward Harry Kane, it’s difficult to envision him moving back into a more defensive role.
That leaves Tottenham surprisingly light of cover in the defensive midfield. Dier and Dembele have been excellent, but Spurs really need to add a third player to that rotation. That’s a role Witsel could fill with great success.
Another plus for Witsel is that he’s played his best football of the season in Zenti’s biggest matches. He’s posted a sparkling Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.36 in seven Champions League appearances for Andre Villas-Boas’ side. His successful experience in Champions League football could be crucial to a Spurs side where most players will experience their first taste of the competition next season.
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Axel Witsel has been linked with Tottenham for what feels like forever, but he could finally arrive in White Hart Lane this summer. Acquiring the talented Belgian would be a huge step towards solidifying the Spurs defensive midfield.