According to Football.London, Tottenham Hotspur are set to face stiff competition from Manchester United in the pursuit of Juventus midfielder Emre Can. Tuttosport (as cited by Football.London) has claimed that the Juventus midfielder would not have his head turned by interest from Man United due to his connection with Liverpool. At the same time, Sport believes that AC Milan are also keen on securing his services.
Juventus, meanwhile, are hoping to recoup £30 million from the sale of Can. And in this article, we will discuss why Jose Mourinho must defeat these clubs in the pursuit of this German midfielder.
Depth in the midfield department
Tottenham Hotspur have struggled with a lack of options in the midfield department within the past few years. Eric Dier also remained unused by Mauricio Pochettino earlier this season while Victor Wanyama has struggled with injuries. Youngster Oliver Skipp meanwhile is not favoured by current manager Mourinho.
Same can be said for Harry Winks, who has only been a part of the first-team due to the lack of depth. And although Tottenham have recently secured the services of Benfica sensation Gedson Fernandes, it remains to be seen whether or not the young Portuguese manages to integrate himself into the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.
That’s where Can comes into the fray. Hardened by years of experience at the highest level of football, the German international will be able to provide Mourinho with an additional option in central midfield – making it easier for him to deal with the hectic English footballing schedule during the second half of the campaign.
An upgrade over Dier
Dier looked to have a promising future under Mourinho, mainly thanks to his defensive prowess and the fact that he can remain deep and provide the cover for the backline. However, the English international has fallen out of favour in recent weeks, with Winks now becoming a first-team regular once again.
Can, in that regard, should be a definite upgrade over Dier in the holding midfield role. Unlike the ex-Sporting CP star, the Juventus midfielder is an excellent passer of the ball. He can provide a sense of security during the possession phases while his physical prowess means he could be an ideal fit under Mourinho’s defence-oriented system at Spurs.
An experienced individual
What makes Can such a low-risk target for Tottenham Hotspur is the fact that he has experience of playing in the Premier League. The ex-Bayer Leverkusen star had played for Liverpool for four years, before leaving the club in favour of a move to Juventus in 2018.
He had made 167 competitive appearances for the Reds and was even considered as a vital part of the side, though he is now properly replaced by Fabinho in the current Liverpool squad. Nevertheless, Can’s exposure of playing in the English top-flight means he shouldn’t take much time settling into Spurs, and this is why Mourinho should definitely look to secure his services this month.
