View: Ange Postecoglou must sanction Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Tottenham exit
The transfer window is now officially open and rumours will begin to circle with Ange Postecoglou now in charge at Tottenham.
There have been plenty of names linked with a move to North London. Brentford keeper David Raya is the latest to be tipped to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Sun report on 13 June that Spurs are locked in talks over a move for the 27-year-old Spaniard. Their report also shares news about Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s future.
It’s believed that the 27-year-old’s future now hangs in the balance, with the Dane’s strengths not best suited to Postecoglou’s style of play.
It’s understood that there is serious doubt over his future despite him having two years left on his current deal.
Spurs’ new boss should surely be looking to cash in? A refresh is required. A complete overhaul. Tottenham need to forget about winning anything for the time being. It’s about focusing on a successful long-term strategy.
One concern for the Dane is that he doesn’t fit the big Aussie’s style of play. Celtic were known for being an expansive and hard-working side.
They will dominate possession, press when out of possession and look to play forward whenever possible.
One clear difference between Hojbjerg and Celtic’s midfielders is the length of pass. Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy all average significantly shorter distances with their passes, according to Wyscout.
The Hoops attacking play under Postecoglou was built off of impressive passing along the floor, with triangles used between players. Spurs need playmakers who are comfortable on the ball and happy to play with teammates who are under pressure.
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old has been used to Antonio Conte’s deep-lying ways and may not be the best option for Spurs in this new system.
Hatate is probably the player to compare Hojbjerg with.
He operates in a similar position but offers far more going forward. Over the course of the 2022/23 season, he managed more assists and nearly four times as many passes into the penalty area. Furthermore, it isn’t as if the Celtic midfielder struggles defensively – he has a higher duel success rate compared to the Spurs man.
Posetcoglou will want to sign his own players and looking to move on some of Spurs’ current crop would be a smart decision. Hojbjerg has been a good servant, but he was signed for a different system with a much different manager.
In other Tottenham news, a Serie A defender described as “untouchable” is on the club’s radar.