Sky Sports pundit Stephen Warnock has claimed that Ange Postecoglou is making a smart move by pursuing a versatile attacker in Brennan Johnson rather than an out-and-out number nine.
Over the past few weeks, there have been plenty of column inches dedicated to the question of who Tottenham will sign to replace Harry Kane, with the likes of Gent’s Gift Orban and Lille’s Jonathan David being mooted as targets for the North London club (GiveMeSport).
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However, Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas suggested on the Last Word on Spurs podcast on Sunday that the Lilywhites might decide to go for a wide-attacker such as Johnson rather than a centre-forward.
And it appears that is exactly what has happened, with The Daily Mail revealing this afternoon that Tottenham have agreed a deal in principle to sign Johnson for £45m from Nottingham Forest.
Warnock believes that Postecoglou is thinking along the right lines by trying to spread out the goals rather than signing just one goal poacher.
Brennan Johnson is just what Tottenham need
The former Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa left-back told Sky Sports News (as relayed by TEAMtalk): “I think the Brennan Johnson one is a little bit of a surprise because we’re all sat here thinking they need a goalscorer, they need a number nine.
“Ange Postecoglou’s looking at it, going: ‘I’ve got Kulusevski, I’ve got Son, I’ve got Richarlison. If I add another striker into that mix, then if I get 10 to 15 goals off all of them players, I’m not relying on a Harry Kane to get me 30 goals a season’. So they’re all going to chip in. I think that’s smart.”
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We have already seen that the number nine is not necessarily the one to whom most chances fall in Postecoglou’s system, with the wide-forwards, midfielders and full-backs all needing to chip with goals and assists this season.
With Ange also having the option of playing Son through the middle, it is perhaps not too surprising that he prefers to sign someone like Johnson who can operate across the front four, rather than a pure goalscorer like Orban.
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