According to Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of securing the services of Ryan Sessegnon. The Lilywhites are confident they can snap up the Fulham prodigy for a fee in the region of £30 million. Sessegnon is likely to be considered as a replacement for Danny Rose, who is expected to leave the club this summer. But, how does the youngster stack up against the Spurs fullback?
Style of play
Sessegnon is a right-sided midfielder by trade but has featured in a defensive role for Fulham. However, it is only natural that he plays an attack-minded fullback. The teenager often tends to take on defenders and occupy opposing full-backs. His pace and trickery help him cause havoc on the far side.
Rose, in contrast, is a fully-fledged left-back. Unlike Sessegnon, he is not known for his pace and dribbling prowess. But, he can sure offer extensive attacking support on the flanks. The 29-year-old can also rotate possession at a quick rate while whipping in dangerous crosses from the far side.
How each of them fit into the Spurs lineup
As mentioned earlier, Sessegnon is not an out and out defender. But, the fact that he can feature as a right-back will make him an asset for Mauricio Pochettino. Indeed, the youngster can be used as a backup for Serge Aurier, who is likely to become the club’s first-choice right-back following the departure of Kieran Trippier.
Alternatively, Sessegnon can also operate in the wide-attacking slot. That means he can be considered as a backup for the likes of Son Heung-Min and Lucas Moura. As for Rose, he will have to compete with Ben Davies in the left-back position, if he remains at Spurs beyond this summer.
The England international did feature as a midfielder at times during last season. But, that won’t be necessary anymore following the arrival of Tanguy Ndombele. The Lilywhites have also set their sights on Giovani Lo Celso and Bruno Fernandes this summer.
Is Sessegnon a suitable replacement for Rose?
Sessegnon is not a like for like replacement for Rose. The biggest issue regarding that notion is that both the players play on the opposite side of each other. That being said, the 19-year-old offers a lot of versatility on the table, which should be useful for Pochettino in his rotation policy.
Besides, the Fulham youngster has time on his side and has room to improve. He could turn out to be a smart long-term investment for Tottenham Hotspur given Pochettino’s proficiency in nurturing young talents.
