Tottenham Hotspur are now one of the few clubs who are yet to make an addition to their first team, with less than three weeks of the transfer window, left this year. The manager is now looking at some of the most exciting stars in Europe and has been linked to a variety of names recently.
And one player that is now extensively linked with a move to the club is Pape Cheikh Diop. According to reports from the Daily Mail, Spurs are looking to sign the 20-year old this summer but face tough competition from French outfit Lyon, who are also desperate.
The story claims that Pochettino has been scouting the player carefully for a while now and has decided that this is the right time to spend on him and get him to England. So who is Diop and what will he bring to London?
A product of the academy at Celta in Spain, Diop jumped into the B side back in 2014 and just a year later, made his senior debut in La Liga. Ever since, he has been used regularly by the Spanish outfit in the first team and the 20-year old now has 14 top flight appearances in Spain to add to his ten caps for the Spanish U19 side.
A central midfielder by trait, the Senegal ace is known for his physical presence in the middle of the field while his technique allows him to control the tempo of the game from a deeper role. Strong in the air and quick off the turf, the youngster is a gifted player who can dribble past opponents with ease. He can spray passes into dangerous areas but is adept at sitting back and shielding his back line, something he is very good at.
His strength and physical approach to the game makes him a decent fit for a team in England and Spurs will hope that he can be a star in years to come. Pochettino has the likes of Victor Wanyama, Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Harry Winks as options for his midfield at the moment. While Dembele is not going to stay around for long, Dier is more of a versatile player, providing cover for that role when needed.
Winks is still young but might find regular game time this season and Diop will be right up the pecking order in this squad. He has what it takes to excel in England but at just 20, is he the right man for Pochettino’s side?
