According to Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur are looking for an opportunity to make a move for Philippe Coutinho. But, any step likely depends on the fate of Christian Eriksen, whose future at the club is still uncertain. As for the Barcelona star, his employers are keen to offload him, and a move to Premier League could be on the horizon. However, it is believed no club have yet submitted an official bid for the Brazilian.
Coutinho is undoubtedly an exciting option for Tottenham. And in this article, we will figure out how he stacks up against Eriksen.
Style of play
Eriksen and Coutinho are both labelled as playmakers. But, the Brazilian prefers to play in the wider-attacking role. His ability to cut inside, coupled with his quick-feet makes him an effective dribbler. And despite being a left-winger, Coutinho often drifts into central areas of the pitch and open up both sides of the pitch. Another key aspect of the 27-year-old is his vicious right foot that makes him a threat from long-range.
Eriksen, in contrast, is an out and out central attacking midfielder. He can exchange passes at a quick rate and has excellent positional awareness. The Dane is capable of threading useful through passes in behind the defence as well as whipping in crosses from the far side. Moreover, Eriksen is proficient from set-pieces – making him an excellent source of creativity in the final third.
Tactical comparison
From a tactical perspective, Coutinho’s addition to the club will allow Mauricio Pochettino to deploy Dele Alli in his preferred number ten role. The fact that the Brazilian is more comfortable playing as a wide-attacker could solve the club’s problem of having a lack of wingers in the team.
This is mainly because the duo of Son Heung-Min and Lucas Moura were utilised in a central role by Pochettino last season. As for Erik Lamela, he has struggled with injuries for most of his spell at North London.
Eriksen, on the other hand, has featured in numerous positions during his time at Tottenham Hotspur. He notably operated as a central midfielder due to the club’s injury crisis in the middle third of the pitch during the second half of last season. The Dane’s versatility, in that regard, gives him the upper hand.
Is Coutinho a suitable replacement for Eriksen?
Coutinho is more than a capable replacement for Eriksen. The 27-year-old has already proven himself in the Premier League and is unlikely to find any difficulties in settling into his new club. He can offer the much-needed creative spark going forward. However, it remains to be seen whether Spurs will be willing to fork out a sizeable fee for the services of the Brazilian international this summer.
