Tottenham-linked Cody Gakpo has put in a strong performance in the Netherlands latest World Cup warm-up game as Spurs consider a £51m move.
Focus is now firmly on FIFA World Cup preparations, with the tournament set to begin in two days. Spurs do have several representatives on the world stage this summer, but so do a number of their transfer targets.
The likes of Jan Paul van Hecke are away with the Netherlands alongside Cody Gakpo, with both players linked with moves to Tottenham in recent weeks.
Spurs Web has since reported that Van Hecke is hoping for a move to Spurs to be completed before the World Cup gets underway, with the Netherlands set to play their opening fixture on Sunday against Japan.
Tottenham target Cody Gakpo scores brace for Netherlands
While transfer speculation continues to swirl, the players themselves have simply gone about their business on international duty.
Gakpo, who has been linked with a move to Spurs, as the Lilywhites continue their search for attacking reinforcements, was stellar in his recent outing with the Netherlands.
The 27-year-old endured a somewhat disappointing spell with Liverpool last season, scoring nine goals and providing six assists in 52 appearances.
But with rumours continuing to circulate, the Dutch forward produced an impressive display in the Netherlands’ clash against Uzbekistan.
Gakpo scored twice from the penalty spot as the Netherlands secured a 2-1 win.
They were two well-taken penalties, with Gakpo sending the goalkeeper the wrong way in his second spot kick, while the first saw the keeper get a hand to the effort before the power of the strike proved too much to keep out.
Spurs target Jan Paul van Hecke also impresses
Looking at the underlying numbers, Gakpo stood out throughout the match and finished as the highest-rated player with a 9.2 FotMob rating. He also created the most chances (4) and recorded the most touches in the opposition box (5).
| Stat | Cody Gakpo |
|---|---|
| Accurate passes | 23/29 (79%) |
| Chances created | 4 |
| Big chances created | 2 |
| Shots on target | 2 |
| Shots off target | 1 |
| Shot accuracy | 2/3 (67%) |
| Big chances missed | 1 |
| Touches | 42 |
| Touches in opposition box | 5 |
| Successful dribbles | 1/1 (100%) |
| Passes into final third | 7 |
| Accurate crosses | 3/3 (100%) |
| Accurate long balls | 1/1 (100%) |
| Dispossessed | 1 |
He was not the only Spurs-linked player to impress, with defensive target Jan Paul van Hecke also featuring for 90 minutes and earning a 7.9 rating, the second-highest in the match behind Gakpo.
The Dutch centre-back won one of the penalties and also completed the most passes in the game with a 93% pass accuracy.
| Key Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Touches | 95 |
| Accurate Passes | 83/89 (93%) |
| Accurate Long Balls | 7/8 (88%) |
| Passes into Final Third | 10 |
| Recoveries | 5 |
| Tackles | 2 |
| Ground Duels Won | 3/4 (75%) |
| Dribbled Past | 0 |
Crysencio Summerville, who has also been linked with a move to Tottenham, also featured and received a 7.3 rating.