According to Sky Sports, Jonathan Bamba has emerged as a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites are currently scouting multiple players as potential replacements for Gareth Bale, whose loan spell at the club expires at the end of the season. Bamba, along with Stuttgart’s Nicolas Gonzalez, are believed to be among the players being monitored by the Premier League giants this summer.
Jonathan Bamba: Player Profile
A part of the LOSC Lille side since the summer of 2018, Jonathan Bamba is one of the club’s main attacking weapons, having been involved in 44 goals in 122 competitive matches. This season, in particular, the winger has scored six while assisting nine, helping Lille put up a strong fight for the Ligue 1 title, along with the likes of PSG, Monaco and Olympique Lyon.
A left-winger by trade, Bamba has impressed the onlookers with his dynamism and trickery on the flanks. Serving as one of Lille’s protagonists during the 2018/19 campaign alongside Nicolas Pepe, the Frenchman is blessed with raw pace and a vicious right foot that helps him test the goalkeeper from long-range.
In addition to his direct style of play, Bamba specialises in creating chances for his team in the final third. Indeed, he is always on the lookout for defence-threading through passes while the attacker can also feature on both flanks – making him a useful attacking outlet, not just for Lille but for any team.
Should Tottenham Make A Move For Bamba?
Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements despite the depth that they currently have. As iterated earlier, the loan contract of Bale is set to expire at the end of the season, along with Carlos Vinicius, who was roped in from FC Porto last summer.
Aside from these two pending departures, the likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Dele Alli have either struggled with injuries or lack of game-time, with one of them at least likely to leave north London in the summer. Steven Bergwijn, too, hasn’t offered much since joining from PSV while Erik Lamela’s future at the club remains uncertain.
This is where Jonathan Bamba could turn out to be a smart investment for Spurs. The Frenchman can operate in at least three positions in the final third, which should make the job easier for Mourinho in regards to his depth in quality and overall squad rotation policy.
In case the winger does replicate his Ligue 1 performances in the Premier League, the Lilywhites may also appear less over-reliant on the services of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min next season. However, a lot could depend on how much Lille demand for their star attacker in the upcoming summer transfer window, as Mourinho certainly cannot afford anywhere in excess of €40 million.
