According to Tuttosport, as cited by Calciomercato, Lazio are bracing themselves for a raid by Tottenham Hotspur regarding two of their key players in Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Thomas Strakosha. However, the Lilywhites could face stiff competition in the pursuit of these two individuals.
Thomas Strakosha: The rightful heir of Hugo Lloris
Lloris’ fall from grace over the past couple of years have already been well documented. His number two, Paulo Gazzaniga hasn’t been able to make the desired impact either. Hence, Tottenham’s interest in Strakosha seems like a viable one.
The Lazio star is one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in world football at the moment. Especially in the last two seasons, his contributions in between the sticks have been critical behind the club’s success.
This season, for example, Strakosha has made 81 saves in Serie A. Only six goalkeepers have managed more, five of which play for clubs that are currently dawdling in the second half of the league table. That means they face a lot of shots on goal than a club like Lazio, who have recorded the best defence in the league so far.
Despite his towering figure of 1.93m, Strakosha is quite an agile goalkeeper. While his tall frame gives him a considerable advantage in terms of set-pieces, it also helps him cover a lot of area in goal, ultimately making him much more effective from close range. And given his performances this season, the Albanian international could indeed be an ideal replacement for Lloris.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: An upgrade over Harry Winks?
Tottenham midfield is in complete disarray at the moment. Last summer’s marquee signing Tanguy Ndombele has failed to make the desired impact and struggled with injuries. Same can be said about Moussa Sissoko while players like Eric Dier and Oliver Skipp have been unable to impress Mourinho.
As a result, Tottenham have remained overreliant on the services of Harry Winks. But, the Englishman has often disappointed, especially when facing an aggressive opponent like Southampton and Wolves. He appears tentative when dealing with a high press and is simply not ready to lead the Spurs midfield.
That’s where Milinkovic-Savic comes into the fray. The Serbian box to box midfielder was one of Europe’s hottest prospects a few years ago. What made him such an appealing target for clubs across Europe was his energy and enthusiasm.
Much like Paul Pogba, Milinkovic-Savic is capable of injecting more urgency into the midfield. He is also blessed with the technical quality that allows him to rotate possession, though it is his willingness to close down the opposition that makes him such an effective central midfielder.
Milinkovic-Savic could be an ideal addition to the Tottenham midfield for multiple reasons. Although a lot will depend on how Ndombele recovers from his awful start to his Premier League career, the Serbian could undoubtedly add more aggression and tenacity, which also tune in well with Mourinho’s tactical philosophy.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
