Tottenham News Scout: Daniel Levy looks to cut corners again as Tottenham pursue Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson
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It is no secret that Tottenham are in desperate need of new defenders this summer with Galatasaray centre-back Victor Nelsson a potential target, as reported by Turkiye Gazetesi.
New Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has an enormous job on his hands as he looks to transform a deflated Spurs squad after their shocking season.
The North London side finished eighth in the Premier League, missing out on Europe, and shipped 63 goals in the process – the most of any side in the top 14.
Therefore, a new central defender will clearly be one of the top priorities on Postecoglou’s wishlist, especially if the Australian coach is set to play his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with most of Spurs’ current options accustomed to a back five.
Nelsson is someone the club are reportedly looking at which would see the club continue a positive connection between themselves and Danish stars – such as Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and 1999 League Cup-winning goalscorer Allan Nielsen.
Here, Spurs Scout has identified whether Nelsson would be a good fit for the Premier League club and if they should make a move for the Danish defender.
Superpower – Reliable
A deeper dive into Nelsson’s numbers reveal the 24-year-old is not only a man of many strengths, but he has been a key figure in a rock solid defence this season.
Of Galatasaray’s 36 league games during their title-winning campaign, Nelsson started 33, showcasing his vital contribution and consistency within the division’s top defence.
As per footystats, the Turkish champions conceded 22 times when Nelsson was on the pitch at a rate of just 0.67 goals per 90 with 135 minutes coming between each goal. 48 per cent of the defender’s appearances ended in a clean sheet.
Described in the above video by Bein Sports as one-half of the “architects of the championship,” Nelson showcased his defensive abilities and excellence in the air, winning 107 aerial duels at a rate of 3.25 per 90, placing him in the top four per cent of his positional peers in the Turkish League.
His 47.91 successful passes per 90 also placed him in the top 10 per cent, showing his versatility as a player.
Weakness – Defending on the ground
For as dominant as Nelsson was in the air and as part of a brilliant and ever-present defensive partnership, stats suggest that he could be exposed during ground duels.
The centre-back only attempted 253 ground duels, at a rate of 7.68 per 90 which positions him in just the 31st percentile of his positional peers in the league.
As well as this, he would only win 4.52 of those ground duels per 90 which left him in the lower 50 per cent in regard to this particular statistic.
This demonstrates that although Nelsson has his strengths, he would need to be partnered with a defender who is comfortable in ground duels to account for the Danish international’s weakness.
How much would Nelsson cost?
According to the report in Turkiye Gazetesi (12 June), Tottenham are prepared to pay just over £16million for the defender, however, his release clause currently stands at £21.3million.
The report does indicate that some agreement can be found in the middle, around the £18million to 19million mark. Whether Tottenham would be willing to increase their offer, however, remains to be seen.
Where would Nelsson fit in at Tottenham?
Spurs are in a position this summer where any defender they bring in will need to be brought in with a view to being an instant starter, rather than a squad player. Last season’s performances prove serious defensive upgrades are needed, and needed fast.
Many of Tottenham’s defenders have become accustomed to operating as part of a back-five under the guidance of former managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. With Postecoglou likely to deploy a back-four, he will need defenders who can slot straight into this system.
This is something Nelsson would be able to do. During Galatasaray’s league campaign last season, they would predominantly play with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Nelsson playing as a right-sided central defender.
However, both himself and Tottenham’s strongest centre-back option Cristian Romero are right-footed (FBREF) which could cause issues, with left-footed Clement Lenglet perhaps more suited to playing alongside Nelsson, but this would mean dropping Romero.
Should Spurs buy Nelsson?
Tottenham are currently in more desperate need of a left-side centre-back rather than a right-sided one, which Nelsson has featured as this season. If Spurs could find a way to play Romero and Nelsson alongside each other, the move could work.
However, despite the relatively low fee, Tottenham should be focussing their efforts on bringing in a top left-sided centre-back who can play alongside Romero comfortably.
Daniel Levy and the club have spent too much time in recent seasons cutting corners and Nelsson would feel like another cheap alternative. Rather than spending £20million on a player who might not work, the club should be going out and spending £40/50million on a world-class left-footed centre-back, they certainly need one after last season.
In other Tottenham News, stats suggest Postecoglou has to make a move for another international.