According to La Provence, Tottenham Hotspur face fresh competition from Marseille in the pursuit of Ryan Sessegnon. But, the French club only has €15 million left to spend, which falls well short of Fulham’s valuation for the youngster. As a result, Spurs remain favourites in this chase and are hopeful of securing the services of the versatile youngster before the transfer windows slams shut this midweek.
Speaking of versatility, Sessegnon is capable of featuring in anywhere across the left flank. And in this article, we will assess the best position for the 19-year-old in the Tottenham Hotspur lineup.
Left-back
Sessegnon featured as a left-back six times for Fulham last season. This is the deepest possible role on the left flank. But, the youngster failed to create anything substantial from any of those outings.
As for Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino, the left-back is usually in charge of breaking the play from the opposition, which requires the presence of a dynamic player. Ben Davies, in that regard, fits in perfectly. And Sessegnon, too, will be an excellent choice.
The 19-year-old is blessed with a tremendous pace that will help him hurry and hassle the opposing ball-carriers. But, he needs to improve on his tackling skills as well as his strength, if he is to win back possession for his team.
Moreover, Sessegnon may also have to move into central areas of the pitch at times during the game. That could be problematic as he is left-footed, which means he will be prone to losing possession when cutting inside. Assigning him to a right-back role, in this regard, would be appropriate.
Left wing-back
Wing-backs have become a vital part of modern football. They are in charge of overseeing the entire flank – a role which requires remarkable athleticism and work-ethic.
Pochettino is no stranger to utilising the advantages of a wing-back system, either. The Argentine has often switched to a three-man backline throughout his career at Spurs. And that’s where Sessegnon’s qualities could come in handy.
The fact that the Fulham star is an attack-minded player tunes in well with the nature of a wing-back. Besides, he is young and will likely be able to cover a lot of ground. However, improving positional awareness could be imperative if he is to thrive in the wing-back role.
Moreover, the wing-back system is only applicable when Pochettino is using a three-man backline, which could minimise Sessegnon’s game-time.
Winger
Sessegnon has all the qualities in the world to evolve himself as a fully-fledged winger. The youngster loves to take on defenders and is wholly composed on the ball. He also has the pace while his ability to whip in crosses from the wider areas of the pitch could turn out to be a boon for the Tottenham attackers.
However, Sessegnon’s chances of making it to the first team will be difficult if he features as a winger. This is due to the immense competition in the said position. But in hindsight, the fact that he is capable of playing in all of these positions could make him an asset for Tottenham Hotspur one way or another, especially under Pochettino, who acknowledges the value of squad rotations.
