For months, Tottenham Hotspur were actively trying to sell Yves Bissouma, and there was optimism that they would be able to sell him off in the summer transfer window. Bissouma had suitors in the Turkish Super Lig and Saudi Pro League, and there were also rumblings of sparse interest around Europe. Due to injury, he could not be sold, and with a year left on his contract, Spurs were worried about not being able to find anyone to buy him at all this winter.
But since coming back from injury, Bissouma has been playing pretty regularly for Tottenham now. It is to a point where there are no conversations about selling Bissouma at all, especially after injuries to Rodrigo Bentancur and now Lucas Bergvall in midfield - both men will be out for months. And the signing of Conor Gallagher is not enough cover for both of them; Tottenham still need a deep lying midfielder to help out, too.
So the narrative with Bissouma has almost completely shifted from a player Tottenham seemed desperate to get rid of, especially after a laughing gas incident earlier this season, to now someone who has become maybe too important to the team.
Thomas Frank did not even hide it
Ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League showdown on Saturday against Burnley, Spurs manager Thomas Frank heaped lavish praise across the brow of his veteran midfielder. He said, via Football.London's Alasdair Gold, "Bissouma has a great top ceiling. I think his qualities we can all see, on the ball, really wanting the ball, constantly seeking it, looking forward, driving forward. Very good technical abilities. Physical stature. He's a strong player,"
And lo and behold, Tottenham went ahead and started Yves Bissouma against Burnley. Now, Bissouma did not play the full 90 minutes, but it was still wild seeing the Malian international now lining up as a preferred starter for Spurs. Frank discarded Archie Gray for Bissouma. Granted, Pape Matar Sarr and Joao Palhinha were not available still, but it was jarring to see Bissouma as the manager's choice.
What's crazier is that Bissouma actually played reasonably well. He won a combined seven tackles and interceptions to lead the way as a ball winner defensively, and he even completed nearly 94 percent of his passes.
But at the end of the day, Tottenham did not win this game against one of the worst teams in the Premier League, because they themselves are one of the worst teams in the league. And a player everyone wanted gone universally just a month ago is now a starter. Tottenham are headed down a dangerous path with Bissouma, because if this is going to be the standard they want to meet, they might as well pack it in. Bissouma being this important is a big part of the problem, and Frank and the club are on the verge of overvaluing him for real.