According to Daily Star, Tottenham Hotspur appear as the favourites in the chase to sign Ryan Sessegnon. The Fulham star is set to leave Craven Cottage this summer after their relegation during the 2018/19 campaign, which has put clubs on red alert.
However, Sessegnon has already rejected advances from Manchester United and has his heart set on remaining at London. As a result, Tottenham are believed to be the frontrunners in his pursuit, although the Lilywhites are unwilling to match Fulham’s valuation of £45 million. Instead, they want to pay just £22 million.
So, is he really worth the outlay for Mauricio Pochettino?
Ryan Sessegnon’s stressful Premier League campaign
Sessegnon didn’t exactly enjoy a great season following Fulham’s promotion to the top flight last year. The Cottagers were awful throughout the season, losing 26 out of the 38 matches that saw them finish second last in the league table.
Fulham’s failures to work as a collective unit under Slavisa Jokanovic and later, Claudio Ranieri played a considerable role in diminishing the influence of Sessegnon. But, the youngster still managed to score two and provide six assists, ending the campaign as the third most productive player for the club.
But, it’s probably fair to say that Sessegnon wasn’t able to make a significant influence as he would have liked. And the fact that he mustered only 2,294 minutes of league football is indicative of his stressful campaign at Fulham while also entertaining the thought that the youngster could be better utilised elsewhere.
What can Sessegnon provide to the table?
Despite being used as a fullback at times this past season, Sessegnon is mainly a left-sided midfielder, whose electric pace makes him a genuine threat on the counter. He is also good at taking on defenders, having averaged 0.9 dribbles per game.
But, what makes him such a sought after an attacker in English football is his versatility and offensive productivity. Indeed, he played down seven different roles with Fulham during the 2018/19 and was involved in eight goals, which is quite impressive for a side that managed to score only 34 goals in 38 matches.
Should Tottenham make a move for Sessegnon?
Sessegnon is not someone who can instantly improve Tottenham Hotspur and make them a serious contender for the Premier League title next season. He is, however, blessed with immense potential and can be groomed into a world-class attacker in the future. And none can do the job better than Pochettino, given his proficiency in nurturing young English talents.
That being said, a fee of £45 million seems a bit too expensive for a player who will not add much quality to the Tottenham side at this moment. Hence, the Lilywhites are definitely doing the right thing by being unwilling to meet Fulham’s hefty valuation for the player. And it will be interesting to see whether or not the Cottagers agree to lower their asking price for the attacker in the coming weeks.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
