Ange Postecoglou will be concerned by Destiny Udogie at Tottenham after Premier League announcement
Ange Postecoglou has been delivered an untimely reminder of just how important Destiny Udogie is to Tottenham.
In case any Spurs supporters weren’t already aware, the past few matches have demonstrated just how crucial Udogie is to this Tottenham team.
In the 4-2 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday (5 May), Emerson Royal was tasked with playing at left-back and containing Mohamed Salah, a task which he failed miserably.
Udogie will not be available again for Tottenham this season after undergoing surgery, which leaves Postecoglou with a left-back puzzle to solve during the final three matches of the campaign.
The Australian has been reminded of Udogie’s importance following the 21-year-old’s nomination for the 2023/24 Hublot Young Player of the Season award (via Premier League, 9 May).
And it is hard to argue against the Italy international being shortlisted after his impressive debut season in England.
Destiny Udogie has been a standout performer for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham
Postecoglou’s biggest concern will be that Udogie isn’t too seriously impacted in the long-term by this recent injury.
Players don’t always come back the same after undergoing surgery, and the 58-year-old will be hoping that Udogie can match the high standards he has set already when he gets back on the pitch next season.
Only four outfield players at Tottenham have played more minutes in the Premier League than Udogie this year, with his impressive form making him a regular feature under Postecoglou when he was fit.
As per fbref, Udogie ranks in the top 10 per cent compared to his positional peers in the Premier League this season for the number of progressive passes he has played (5.83 per 90).
In addition, the Italian fullback sits in the 86th percentile when it comes to his total carrying distance (229.91 yards per 90) and progressive carrying distance (124.97 yards per 90), as well as the 88th percentile for the number of touches he has made in the attacking penalty area (2.67 per 90) and progressive carries he has made (3.12 per 90).
Most impressively, Udogie sits in the top five per cent of fullbacks in England’s top flight for the number of carries into the final third he has made (2.45 per 90).
All of these numbers illustrate just how key Udogie is to Postecoglou’s attacking system, and the Spurs boss will be hoping he gets the same player back from injury.
In other Tottenham news, Daniel Levy has been backed to unlock a new revenue stream in North London.
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