Tottenham Hotspur continue to be strongly linked with a summer move for Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, with new head coach Thomas Frank reportedly greenlighting the transfer, but how could Spurs set up with Eze in their squad? Let’s find out.
Reports linking Eberechi Eze with a move to Tottenham Hotspur have been rife in recent weeks, as Tottenham remain keen to add more depth to their attack.
Mbeumo was an option, but Manchester United look to be in pole position to land the Brentford star. Semenyo is seen as an alternative, but Bournemouth’s demands have proven to be a stumbling block for Tottenham.
With Spurs said to be eyeing a marquee signing this summer, the Lilywhite faithful have not been quiet either, with many Tottenham fans calling on Daniel Levy to make Eze the marquee signing of the window.
Reports this week claim that Eze is open to a move to Tottenham, with Champions League football on offer proving to be a major lure.
While his contract contains a £68 million release clause, it has been revealed that Tottenham could pay the Eze release clause in structured instalments. Indeed, Spurs’ interest is genuine, but they are not alone in tracking the Palace star.
Nonetheless, should they win the race, Eze would undoubtedly strengthen the squad and provide Frank with much-needed tactical variety. We have now identified three ways Tottenham could line up with Eberechi Eze in the starting XI next season.
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Eberechi Eze could replace Heung-min Son on the left at Tottenham
Eberechi Eze’s versatility means he can be deployed across several positions, and one of the most natural fits in this Tottenham setup could be on the left wing.
That role has been Heung-min Son’s for the best part of a decade, but with Son potentially moving on this summer, a vacancy could open up on that flank.
Eze has been a key presence on the left for Crystal Palace, frequently cutting inside to shoot, and after notching 14 goals in all competitions last season, there is enough evidence to suggest he can shoulder that responsibility.
If Thomas Frank were to use him out wide, Tottenham’s XI could shape up as follows: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison; Eberechi Eze, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson.
Spurs could use Eze in the number 10 role
Another position Eberechi Eze has regularly featured in is as a classic number 10, pulling the strings in the middle and operating in the pockets between the lines.
Of course, for Spurs, that role has been shared between James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski for much of the past season.
Eze, however, has played there 140 times in his career, with 35 goals and 21 assists to show for it. It is clearly where he feels most at home.
If Tottenham deploy him centrally, it would allow Mathys Tel, fresh off signing a new six-year deal, to operate on the left wing, where he has impressed for France U21.
In this scenario, James Maddison would drop out of the XI entirely. The lineup could look something like this: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Eberechi Eze; Mathys Tel, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski.
Tottenham could field James Maddison and Heung-min Son alongside Eze
Perhaps the most thrilling option of the three is one where Eze is part of an attack-heavy setup, lining up alongside James Maddison, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke.
Eze would play either as a number 10 or a number 8 – a role he has been used in 45 times previously.
This would allow Maddison to feature in a more advanced role behind the striker, with Son continuing on the left if he remains at the club.
Kulusevski would be the right-sided option, and Solanke would lead the line. It is certainly an aggressive setup, one that may leave Spurs open defensively, but it could be a valuable tactic against teams that sit in a low block.