According to a recent claim made by Mundo Deportivo‘s Miguel Rico (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness), Barcelona are keeping a keen eye on Tottenham Hotspur left-back Ryan Sessegnon. The same source has also stated that the Catalan outfit are looking for an ideal back-up for Jordi Alba and has identified the English youngster as a potential option this summer.
Sessegnon’s Injury-Plagued Debut Season At Tottenham
The ex-Fulham talent has endured a frustrating spell at North London after missing a significant chunk of this campaign due to a hamstring injury. Even when Sessegnon has been fit and available for selection, he has often been subjected to a place on the bench which has further hampered his development in England.
The 20-year-old has made 12 appearances for Jose Mourinho’s side this term, finding the back of the net once while providing one assist across multiple competitions which highlight his recent struggles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, Sessegnon deserves a little credit for being an all-around performer after averaging of 0.8 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 1.2 clearances, 0.5 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League this season (stats via whoscored).
The London-born full-back has also represented England at various youth levels but is yet to make a senior appearance for the Three Lions. A summer move to the Nou Camp could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to prove his worth at the highest level and make an impact for both club and country in the years to come.
What Will The English Defender Bring To The Nou Camp?
Sessegnon is one of the quickest players in Mourinho’s squad and uses his pace to good effect when making a few penetrative runs on the left flank. He has excellent balance and is usually a composed dribbler with the ball in the opposition half. The English full-back is also not shy about producing a tireless shift inside his half but needs to improve his defending at the back if he intends to be a world-class left-back someday.
Sessegnon’s incredible potential and his versatility to play as a full-back or as an advanced wide player down the left-wing makes him a decent choice for Barca to consider ahead of the new season. He will not only add more pace and variety to Quique Setien’s backline but also enhance the overall depth of his squad.
The London-born prospect has what it takes to compete with Jordi Alba for a first-team place in La Liga week in week out in the coming seasons. Therefore, if the Catalans end up selling Junior Firpo, then they should consider bringing Sessegnon to Catalonia when the transfer window opens later this year. At 20, he has a lot of time to fulfil his potential, but the jury is still out on whether he can handle the growing expectations of playing for a club like Barcelona if the deal goes through this summer.
