In a recent report, The Daily Mail has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have begun talks to sign Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna in this off-season. It is understood that the Japan international could be available for around £15m which makes him an affordable option for Spurs to pursue this summer (via The Daily Mail).
Tomiyasu’s Outstanding Form For Bologna Last Season
Tomiyasu experienced a decent campaign in Italian football as he put in a few impressive displays at the heart of Bologna’s defence. The 22-year-old appeared in 33 matches for the Italian outfit last season, finding the back of the net twice and picking up four assists across various competitions.
The Japanese talent was a rock at the back for Siniša Mihajlović’s side after he averaged 1.5 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game in the 2020-21 Serie A campaign. He even distributed possession with conviction by making 82.1% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
Tomiyasu has established himself as a capable defender in Italy which makes him a good choice for Spurs this summer. However, there are some question marks over whether he can cope with the physical nature and high intensity of Premier League football if Tottenham manage to sign him before the start of the new campaign.
What Will The Japan International Bring To The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Standing at 1.88m, Tomiyasu can use his strong frame to command his penalty box with authority and can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to earn the ball back for his team. The Fukuoka-born sensation has good defensive awareness and can put his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the front foot.
The 23-time Japan international was often asked to play as a centre-half but he is also versatile enough to feature as a right-back or a left-back if needed. Moreover, he is a composed presence on the ball who is not shy of stepping up and making his way forward when afforded time and space by the opponent.
At 22, the future is quite bright for Tomiyasu as long as he continues to play regularly at the highest level. We can expect the Japanese youngster to bring a lot of bite and steel to Tottenham’s defensive department. He will even provide some healthy competition for Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier, Joe Rodon and Toby Alderweireld for a regular starting place at the North London club next season.
