According to Nicolo Schira, as cited by Sport, Chelsea have taken the lead in the pursuit of Philippe Coutinho. The Blues are hoping that their good relationship with the player’s agent could help them secure the services of the Barcelona star.
This could serve as a massive blow for Tottenham Hotspur, who were among the clubs chasing his signature. In this article, however, we will talk about three alternatives Jose Mourinho could pursue this summer.
Ousmane Dembele – FC Barcelona
Ousmane Dembele’s future at FC Barcelona remains uncertain, having endured a miserable spell at Catalonia since joining the club in 2017. The Frenchman has mainly suffered from a host of injuries, which has taken a toll on his overall game-time at the club. He has also failed to make the desired impact even when he has been given the opportunity to perform.
Nevertheless, Dembele remains one of the most gifted young footballers in Europe. His pace and trickery on the flank could provide some real spark to the Tottenham attack that has often appeared overreliant on the services of Son-Heung Min in terms of creativity.
Dembele’s explosive pace, coupled with his ability to provide dangerous crosses from the byline could bode well for someone like Harry Kane. However, it won’t be surprising to see Spurs facing stiff competition in the pursuit of the FC Barcelona ace.
Wilfried Zaha – Crystal Palace
Wilfried Zaha is another option Mourinho could pursue this summer. He is the only player on this list, who has a considerable amount of experience in the English Premier League and should, therefore, find no difficulties in settling into his new club.
Zaha is not as flashy as Dembele. But, the Ivorian is undoubtedly capable of causing terror on the flanks using his pace. Moreover, the Crystal Palace star is a versatile attacker as he can also feature in a much more central role. The Eagles have often used him in a central role due to their lack of striking options.
The Palace man could definitely add more bite to the Spurs attack. His combination with the likes of Son, Kane and Giovani Lo Celso could potentially make the Lilywhites one of the most feared teams in Europe.
Marcel Sabitzer – RB Leipzig
Marcel Sabitzer is arguably the most versatile player on this list. As you would expect from any RB Leipzig player, the Austrian international can feature in several different attacking roles, aside from his preferred right-wing slot. Stylistically, he is an aggressive attacker, who likes to close down the opposition, giving the defenders very little space when playing out from the back.
That means Sabitzer is ideally suited to Mourinho’s tactical setup that often focuses on denying the opposition from making the transition from defence to attack. Moreover, the fact that the ex-Rapid Vienna forward can also operate as a number ten could provide the Portuguese mastermind with more tactical choices in the final third for Tottenham Hotspur.
