Tottenham could make smart January move by reuniting Ange Postecoglou with ex-Celtic star Jota
Tottenham are in desperate need of fresh options going forward and the perfect opportunity might have arrived in the form of ex-Celtic star Jota.
With the likes of Richarlison, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon all unavailable, as well as the absence of James Maddison’s creativity, it is fair to say that Spurs are in need of some attacking reinforcements.
Even if those players do return before January, there is no telling how long it will take them to get back up to speed due to the nature and length of their injuries.
Unfortunately for Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou, they do not have the luxury of waiting for their stars to rediscover their best form, as three straight defeats leave their season hanging in the balance after such a positive start.
With that in mind, the club should already be looking ahead to January and would be wise to bring in a player ready to hit the ground running straight away, and according to The Times (26 November), they have the perfect opportunity to do just that.
The newspaper reported online that Spurs have stepped up their interest in reuniting Postecoglou with Jota, who played under the Australian during his time at Celtic.
While Spurs’ priority remains bringing in a centre-back, they are also seeking short-term cover out wide as they look for a solution to their injury crisis.
Not only does the move make sense for Tottenham, but it also makes sense for Jota himself, who is available on loan after a failed move in the summer.
Since swapping Scotland for Saudi Arabia, life has not been plain sailing for the left-winger. He has been ineligible to play for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League because of a rule limiting clubs to having eight foreign players and has not made a domestic league appearance since September.
A move could therefore benefit both Spurs, as it would see them add a cheap yet quality short-term option to cover out wide and Jota, who would get the opportunity to play regular football again in one of the world’s top leagues.
The 24-year-old was one of Postecoglou’s best-performing players in Glasgow and could flourish under him once again, this time in north London.
Not only did the forward perform well within Scotland, where he scored 21 goals in 62 league appearances for the Hoops, but he also flourished in Europe’s elite competition while playing under Postecoglou.
As per fbref, Jota was in the top seven per cent of his positional peers in the UEFA Champions League during the 2022/23 season for the number of goals he scored (0.63 per 90), which was just one of a number of impressive stats he put up in that competition that year.
In addition to his goalscoring, Jota was in the 99th percentile for the number of shots he registered on target (2.53 per 90), and the number of crosses he made into the penalty area (2.21 per 90).
The Portuguese forward also found himself in the 98th percentile in regard to the number of passes he made into the penalty area (4.11 per 90) and the 96th percentile for the number of key passes he played (2.84 per 90).
In possession he was just as impressive, raking in the top six per cent of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League that season for the number of take-ons he completed (3.47 per 90) and the top three per cent for the number of progressive passes he received (14.21 per 90).
These are numbers which demonstrate a player who can succeed under Postecoglou, and with Jota, the proof is already in the pudding due to the pair’s previous relationship and success together.
By reuniting the duo, Jota could rediscover his best form and act as a catalyst to get Tottenham’s season back on the right track.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs expert was left “beyond frustrated” after the 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa.