Gareth Bale: ‘Sky is the limit’ for Tottenham summer signing Brennan Johnson
Tottenham legend Gareth Bale says the “sky is the limit” for Brennan Johnson after he joined from Nottingham Forest.
Spurs forked out a reported £47.5million (Sky Sports, 2 September) to sign the 22-year-old forward on a six-year contract on transfer deadline day.
Bale knows a thing or two about delighting the Spurs crowd, with the former Wales international scoring 55 goals and providing 22 assists in 166 Premier League appearances across two spells in North London and winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award twice.
And the now-retired Bale tipped big things for current Wales star Johnson.
Speaking to Sky Sports at the BMW PGA Championship in quotes reported by the official Tottenham website (13 September), Bale said: “He’s doing well.
“I think the more he plays now in the top flight, the better he’ll get and the sky is the limit.
“As long as he’s playing football, improving and doing well it’s good for Tottenham and good for Wales as well.”
A ringing endorsement
If the endorsements Johnson has been receiving lately are matched by performances on the pitch then Spurs fans are in for an absolute treat.
Aaron Ramsey recently lamented the fact Johnson had joined Spurs rather than his former club Arsenal, and now Bale has also talked up the talent of the rapid forward.
Tottenham have started the season in swashbuckling style under new boss Ange Postecoglou, taking 10 points from a possible 12 in four Premier League matches.
And the prospect of Johnson with his pace and attacking verve joining this Tottenham side is certainly a tantalising one.
There are, naturally, areas to improve. As per FBRef, last season Johnson managed 0.25 goals per 90 minutes, placing him in the 60th percentile compared to his positional peers in the Premier League – albeit that was as part of a Forest side battling near the bottom.
He was, though, in the first percentile for a range of passing statistics among forwards, including the number of passes he attempted (15.49 per 90), the number of passes he completed (8.93 per 90), his pass completion rate (57.6 per cent per 90), and his total passing distance (129.45 yards per 90).
Right now, Johnson is a player with potential. But playing under Postecoglou in a Spurs team brimming with confidence, he could really kick on this season.
In other Tottenham news, Cristian Romero is returning to Spurs in fine form after impressing with Argentina during the international break.