Tottenham are in a three-way battle with Arsenal and Manchester United for the signing of Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume
Tottenham Hotspur’s problems in midfield last season were clear for all to see. They barely controlled and dictated the temp of games under former boss Ange Postecoglou, often making it chaotic.
The players also failed to remain fit and struggled to string consistent performances week in week out in the Premier League. The injury crisis at the club did not help Postecoglou and he was shown the door by Daniel Levy earlier this month. Now, Thomas Frank is the man in charge and he will want to bring some balance and control to the side by stabilising his midfield unit.
Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski were the only midfielders to emerge from last season with some credit. The rest of them were persistently inconsistent, especially Yves Bissouma. On course to enter the final year of his contract, Bissouma is expected to be sold this summer. If the Malian international is cashed in, the Hotspur Way chiefs must sign a competent replacement before the 2025/26 season commences.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are in a three-way battle with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United for the signing of Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume. At this stage, Arsenal are frontrunners to sign the 23-year-old, having scouted him multiple times this past season.
Lucien Agoume, who joined Sevilla from Inter Milan for €8 million last year after a loan spell, featured in all but three of the Spanish side’s league games last season. He received praise for his defensive prowess, physicality and ability to anchor the midfield, while also contributing with a goal and three assists for Sevilla. Following his eye-catching displays, both in La Liga and during loan spells at Troyes and Brest, the Frenchman has drawn comparisons with his compatriot and 2018 World Cup winner N’Golo Kante.
The aforementioned report adds Sevilla are going through financial difficulties and they could be under pressure to sell Agoume, with Inter Milan inserting a 50% sell-on clause in his contract. They want a fee closer to £20m to earn a profit, but could be compelled to settle for less due to their precarious financial situation.
The defensive midfielder has been performing well for France in the Under-21 European Championships, so there are high chances of his stock rising before the tournament ends. While Arsenal are leading the race for his signature, Tottenham must not give up on their pursuit of Agoume.
Due to his ability to dictate play from deep and break up opposition’s play, Agoume would be an instant upgrade on the error-strewn Bissouma. The former Inter Milan man represents a relatively low-risk target for the Lilywhites with significant upside, a player who would not only compete with the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr but also add much-needed depth to their squad.
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Ahead of their return to the elite European competitions, Spurs must do everything possible to beat their bitter North London rivals to Agoume’s signature. And if they manage in doing so, it’d represent a massive coup of sorts.