Tottenham may ask Ryan Sessegnon to change positions

Ryan Sessegnon has the talent to thrive at Tottenham, but Mauricio Pochettino may ask the youngster to change positions before moving to Spurs. 

The news that Tottenham are interested in buying Ryan Sessegnon is nothing new. Spurs have been interested in him for well over a year. The only interesting question about Mauricio Pochettino’s plans for the young Englishman is how he might want to deploy him.

The Mirror reports that Tottenham may bid as much as £50 million to secure Sessegnon’s services this summer. Frankly, nothing about his play this season would justify that sort of fee. Fulham are almost certainly going to be relegated to the Championship this season and Sessegnon’s failure to positively impact his squad is a contributing factor. Nonetheless, the youngster’s talent is obvious to anyone who watches him play.

Part of his struggles for the Whites’ can be chalked up to the inconsistency in his role. Fulham can’t seem to decide where Sessegnon is at his best. They have started him three times as a left back, but the majority of his appearances have seen him positioned further up the pitch. It’s easy to understand why the 18-year-old could be confused by this sort of inconsistency.

That’s precisely why it’s safe to assume that Pochettino will assign Sessegnon one position if he does complete the move to Spurs. It’s very unlikely that position will be as a left-sided fullback. For one, Tottenham already have Ben Davies and Danny Rose to man that spot on the pitch.

More importantly, Sessegnon lacks the physicality required to be a competent Premier League defender at this stage in his development. His body may grow and strengthen enough to make that transition in time, but at the moment he’s overwhelmed by almost every attacker he encounters.

Instead, look for Spurs to free Sessegnon to play further up the pitch on a full-time basis. He’ll still be required to show an intense work rate to satisfy Pochettino’s demands, but his slight stature won’t be a big issue in the final third.

Playing Sessegnon as an attacker will also let him use his speed and skill on the ball to its fullest advantage. Spurs want to purchase him for his attacking verve. Leaving him to toil in defence is a poor plan for a player with his sort of talent.

If Tottenham do swoop for Sessegnon this summer, he’ll be an attacker for Spurs. That’s the best way to help him mentally and physically adjust to the rigors of playing for Pochettino.