In quite a surprising development, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that he would like to retain Moussa Sissoko this summer despite the Frenchman turning out to be a huge flop at White Hart Lane last season. Recent reports have all linked him with a move away from the North London side this summer, but it seems Pochettino would like to give him another chance next season.
Tottenham bought him for a whopping £30 million in the dying minutes of the transfer window last summer but he went on to represent the bunch of flops that the Argentine boss had brought in at that time. The others remain Vincent Janssen from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou from Bundesliga side FC Cologne.
And Sissoko’s exclusion from Spurs’ pre-season tour had cemented the popular belief that the player was a definite goner now. However, dismissing all claims, Pochettino said, “Sissoko is training with Erik Lamela and Hueng-min Son back home and they are all at different levels so we will see in the next few weeks the evolution for everyone.”
Though one might argue that the winger got little chance under the Spurs boss, it should also be noticed that he could create little impact whatsoever in those games. Pochettino handed his twenty-five league games although only eight of those were in the starting XI. He completed only one full game in the process. And all he could garner from those games was two assists and zero goals.
His displays with the Magpies in 2015, when they got relegated, should have been a good indication but Pochettino was swayed by his heroics at the 2016 Euro Cup, which ultimately tuned out to be a one-time thing.
However, there are reasons that Pochettino should stick with his big, failed signing. One would be his physicality. The 187cm figure will surely come in handy in games against opponents, who wouldn’t allow the Lilywhites to keep the flow going. Against congested defending sides, the likes of Sissoko could be quite handy from aerial set-pieces or holding the ball in dangerous areas.
The 27-year-old’s versatility across the offensive and the middle third also remain an interesting attribute. Pochettino has been using both a three-man defence as well as four-man defence. And Sissoko’s aggressive approach could come in handy in either setup.
And lastly, the main reason Victor Wanyama was such a hit with Spurs last season, was because he hardly got injured. Tottenham hardly have a replacement for the physically superior midfielder in their side and Sissoko could be deputised there as and when needed. So is keeping the Frenchman a smart move by Pochettino?
