In a recent report, Sunderland Nation mentioned that Tottenham Hotspur are set to rival Arsenal for Sunderland ace Dan Neil. It is believed that Spurs are keeping tabs on the English midfielder ahead of a potential move for him in this January transfer window.
Neil’s Excellent Numbers In English Football This Season
The 22-year-old is enjoying an impressive season at the Stadium of Light as he has put in a run of influential displays at the centre of Sunderland’s midfield. Neil has registered four goals and three assists in 26 matches for the Black Cats this season across all competitions.
The English sensation has been a decent performer at both ends of the field based on his average of 1.4 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 1.5 shots, 1.2 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in the EFL Championship. He has even been careful when distributing possession from midfield after making 89.5% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at Sunderland will run out in the summer of 2026. Hence, Spurs would have to make a good offer if they are serious about winning the race for Neil this month.
Tottenham Hotspur Are Set To Rival Arsenal For Neil: Is He Worth The Fight?
Neil can do a bit of everything at the centre of the park. He can time his tackles well to earn the ball back for his side inside his half and doesn’t hesitate to clear his lines when the opposition are on the front foot. The English talent can shoot the ball accurately from long range and has got the vision to engineer a few decent chances for his teammates in the final third. He is a good dribbler with the ball as well.
Neil mainly functions as a box-to-box midfielder but can also fill in as a holding midfielder or operate in the number ten position if needed. We can expect him to bring more quality and depth to Tottenham head coach Angelos Postecoglu’s squad.
At 22, Neil has got a promising future ahead of him. Hence, he would be well worth the fight for Spurs as long as they can get him for a fair price before the end of this month. However, only time will tell whether Neil can make a smooth transition to life in top-flight football.
