Top 5 potential destinations for Leicester star Riyad Mahrez
By David Gate
Number 4: Tottenham Hotspur
If Liverpool are a way off challenging for honors then Tottenham Hotspur are right on the brink. Two strong season finishes – 3rd in 2016 and 2nd in 2017 – see Spurs a small step away from Premier League glory. Of course, that last step is the hardest one to make.
The side Mauricio Pochettino has put together is already a dynamic creative force. Spurs were the Premier League’s leading scorers with 86 goals and had a league leading goal difference of plus 60. Yet they finished seven points behind the champions Chelsea.
The expectations and pressures are different at the top than just being just a challenger. Opposing teams tend to sit deeper and invite pressure, hoping to grab a goal and hold onto a lead. There is much greater need for you to be able to break down those kind of sides.
Losing Eric Lamela to injury was a huge blow for Tottenham. His movement and technique from wide positions was greatly missed and could have made the difference between first and second. Riyad Mahrez would be an incredible addition to an already loaded midfield. He would give Pochettino the ability to tailor game plans better to combat different defensive schemes. It would also bring a fantastic insurance policy in the event of losing set-piece and assist maestro Christian Eriksen to injury.
The only question to Mahrez’s willingness would be wages. Tottenham have a much stricter wage structure than most of their rivals but the temptation must be now for the Spurs hierarchy to make that gamble.