Tottenham should take advantage of Liverpool’s overcrowded attacking midfield.
Tottenham have already arranged one player reunion for manager Mauricio Pochettino this summer with the acquisition of Victor Wanyama, but it might be time for Spurs to schedule another. The club would be wise to launch a decisive move for Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana in the aftermath of the recent signings at Anfield.
Just as Wanyama really blossomed under Pochettino at Southampton, so too did Lallana. He burst onto the scene for the South Coast club with his clever attacking and relentless work rate. He parlayed his brilliant season for the Saints into an England call-up and a big money move to Liverpool.
Unfortunately for Lallana, things haven’t exactly worked out for him at Anfield. Sure, he’s been a key part of their attack, but he hasn’t really blossomed into the star they’d hoped when they made the move for him. He’s not a player they want to sell, but I don’t think they’re all that convinced he’ll be a regular member of their starting XI next season either.
That’s why Liverpool recently made the decision to meet Newcastle’s asking price for Georginio Wijnaldum. The Dutch attacker’s arrival at Anfield really opens the door for a Lallana exit. Tottenham should be the club to hasten his departure.
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Spurs’ one remaining need in the summer transfer window is an attacking midfielder. The seemingly inevitable acquisition of Georges-Kevin N’Koudou will add spice to Tottenham’s attack on the wing, but he isn’t ideally suited to interchange into a more centrally located position. Pochettino needs one more attacking midfielder who feels at home as a number ten.
That doesn’t mean that Christian Eriksen is under any threat, but Pochettino clearly likes his midfielders to swap positions frequently during tough matches. Adding Lallana to the attacking midfield options would give Eriksen the perfect foil. The two could interchange positions seamlessly while causing Premier League defenders absolute fits.
Let’s not forget that the added pressure of Champions League football will require more squad rotation next year as well. Tottenham need to be careful that Eriksen doesn’t get burned out by playing too many consecutive matches in the middle of the park. Adding Lallana to the fray would allow him some valuable rest during what is sure to be a long season.
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Adam Lallana might not fit the age profile that Pochettino usually looks for in his transfer targets, but his talent and their history together should qualify him for an exception. Tottenham would benefit greatly from the addition of the talented, hard-working, English international.