Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sign a £60million-rated attacking midfielder who has been compared to Manchester City and England playmaker Phil Foden.
Ange Postecoglou is looking to bolster the spine of his team this summer, with another central defender, at least one midfielder and a central striker all on the Australian’s radar.
And while a defensive midfielder is uppermost in Postecoglou’s thoughts, he’s also looking for more of an attacking threat from the middle of the park.
Links to Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White refuse to go away, but the latest reports suggest that Shakhtar Donetsk star Georgiy Sudakov remains a top option and that a move for the player could be advancing.
Indeed, ‘talks’ are already said to be underway to strike a deal for the 21-year-old, who has also been attracting interest from London rivals Chelsea.
Sudakov, who has been likened to City star Phil Foden in the way he plays, was previously a target for Arsenal but could now be heading to Tottenham instead.
Shakhtar hoping for Sudakov price hike The Ukraine international saw a £34m bid from Napoli during the winter transfer window, while Shakhtar are not keen on striking a deal before Euro 2024 in case Sudakov’s price goes up.
The playmaker, who is comfortable with both feet, scored 10 goals and added six assists last term playing both as a No.10 or a No.8.
As per FBref, he impressively ranks in the top 14 percent for non-penalty xG and the top 20 percent for progressive carries compared to his positional rivals across the so-called big five leagues in Europe.
Sudakov also ranks in the top 23 percent for shot-creating actions, clearly showcasing his playmaking ability as a result.
The one issue for Tottenham is where Sudakov would fit into Postecoglou’s side as James Maddison is more suited to the playmaker role than he is playing out wide when Son Heung-min is central.
The Ukraine star could fill the No.8 berth currently occupied by either Pape Sarr or Rodrigo Bentancur, although the highly-rated Lucas Bergvall will also be arriving this summer to add more competition for the midfield places.
Sudakov will also not come cheap, with Shakhtar holding out for £60m for a player whose potential is sky high.
