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Tottenham Hotspur are looking to add a fresh spark to their offence with AFC Bournemouth’s David Brooks, in a move that could cost as much as £40million according to The Sun.
It was only in the summer that Brooks moved to the south coast from Sheffield United in a deal worth £10million, but the 21-year-old’s performances for the Cherries have alerted Spurs to the talent they missed out on.
Altogether, the right-midfielder has featured in 30 games for club and country since his switch, and has scored five times in the Premier League including a match-winning strike against Brighton.
Even when the Cherries are performing below their usual standard, the Welsh international has been a leading light for Eddie Howe, who is considering doubling his wage to £50,000 a week in order to fend off the interest from North London and Manchester United.
If Mauricio Pochettino can lure the 9-cap international to join him at the new Tottenham stadium, the move would certainly have a range of ramifications. We at Football FanCast run you through the potential consequences of Spurs signing Brooks…
CheekySport’s Joel claims Spurs badly need to invest in January after not having “the balls” to beat Arsenal. Check out his uncensored opinion in the video below…
Eriksen allowed to leave
Bringing another creative midfielder to join Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen makes an uncomfortable situation for all involved, and the likely consequence is Real Madrid getting their man.
It may earn Spurs a lot of money, with Daniel Levy valuing the Dane at £225million, but it would be weakening Pochettino’s side by removing the best creative midfielder he has to call on.
If Brooks is seen as Eriksen’s successor, on the other hand, Tottenham are putting a lot of pressure on a 21-year-old who so far has only had to deal with the expectations of a mid-table club.
Alli forced to drop back
In recent games, Pochettino has favoured a 4-3-1-2 formation with Eriksen holding rank alongside the likes of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko, but if the Danish international was sold and Brooks signed as his replacement, the responsibility of the deeper spot would fall on Alli.
The England international has been thriving in the forward position with Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane ahead, but while Brooks can play in near enough any advanced midfield spot, the 21-year-old is less adept at the central midfield role with the defenders feeding the ball into him.
Instead, Brooks is best when further up the field, taking on the opposition’s defence with killer balls spread out to his feet, meaning Alli would be forced into a more measured engine room role.
Pochettino’s Tottenham 2.0
Despite the speculation linking Pochettino with the Manchester United job, the Bournemouth man’s arrival could signal the start of Tottenham 2.0 under the Argentine, as he looks to rejuvenate a roster that is starting to show signs of age.
Key players are nearing the end of their days with Jan Vertonghen 31, Toby Alderweireld nearing his 30s, Mousa Dembele a shadow of his former self and captain Hugo Lloris turning 32 on Boxing Day. Even Eriksen at 26 appears not to have a future with the Lilywhites, so the acquisition of Brooks could be the start of Pochettino reconstructing this Tottenham side.