Tottenham fans have weighed in on whether the club should activate Johnny Cardoso’s buy clause following his impressive showing against Real Madrid – and their opinions are somewhat split.
Tottenham’s recruitment strategy has often come under fire, but every now and then, they get it spot on. One such case could be the deal they struck with Real Betis last summer.
As part of Giovani Lo Celso’s move to Spain, Spurs inserted an option to sign Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso for £21 million.
The American international has steadily caught the eye, and his performance against Real Madrid only reinforced the belief that Tottenham could be getting a quality midfielder should they trigger the clause.
The question now is whether Spurs should take that gamble or look elsewhere to bolster their midfield options.
Tottenham fans debate over Johnny Cardoso purchase clause
Following Cardoso’s impressive showing against Madrid, we put the question to Spurs supporters: should the club take up the option to sign him this summer?
Opinions were mixed. Some fans were excited by the prospect of adding the American to their ranks, while others remained sceptical.
One fan was convinced, stating: “Watched him play against Madrid yesterday and he impressed for sure 👌🏼 Clear upgrade to Bissouma.”
Lee Parfitt, however, was less certain, commenting: “Only if he is good now. I have not watched him, so I do not know if he is ready to step straight in or will need to go out on loan. Then he ends up being a waste of money because we did not buy a proven player.”
Dave Seperson had a more tactical view: “Yes, rotate him and Gray at the six, with Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Kulusevski and Maddison playing further up the pitch. Left-back and right-wing need to be the summer priority.”
Tom Bartlett was less convinced, arguing: “Nah, not for me. People need to realise if we get him, that is it for the six. Handy player at his best but not technical enough for how we want to play.”
Stuart John, meanwhile, saw him as a useful piece in the bigger picture, stating: “100%, but only as part of the larger project signings. Not a six, but an upgrade or competition for Bentancur and Bergvall.”
Is Cardoso the right fit for Spurs? What do the stats say?
The consensus among Spurs fans seems clear: Cardoso could be a solid addition, but he is not necessarily the ideal candidate for the deep-lying midfield role. His stats paint a picture of a player with promise but also notable limitations.
According to fbref, the American midfielder averages 2.47 tackles per 90 minutes, placing him in the 73rd percentile among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.
However, his 2.11 interceptions per 90 put him in the 99th percentile, showing his strong reading of the game. Yet, his performance against Real Madrid exposed some flaws.
He completed none of his three attempted tackles and won just six of his 16 ground duels, losing ten. While he has clear strengths, he is not the elite defensive midfielder Spurs fans are hoping for.