Last summer, Ange Postecoglou opted against replacing Harry Kane directly and instead bolstered Tottenham Hotspur's attack with Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, also landing Timo Werner on loan in January.
Heung-min Son has been the principal striker this season while Richarlison enjoyed a brilliant purple patch before picking up a knee injury in March, scoring nine goals from eight Premier League matches.
So, many probably assume that Spurs will sign a centre-forward this summer, it seems to be the pertinent move to make. But Son and Richarlison have proved their worth and Tottenham might actually be better off moving for a new winger. Recent reports suggest this might be the case.
Spurs' search for a winger
Earlier in April, The Telegraph revealed that Tottenham are among the suitors for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who has a buyout clause of nearly £43m in his contract.
Mike McGrath seemingly reiterated the stance on Friday with a retweet of this original post, suggesting that Spurs are indeed hot on the trail of the Spain international.
Nico Williams' style of play
Williams is only 21 years old but he has already achieved much in Basque Country, winning the Copa del Rey against Mallorca in the final to end Bilbao's 40-year wait for silverware.
Across 32 fixtures this season, the £171k-per-week winger has scored six goals and supplied 14 assists for his teammates, averaging 1.5 key passes, 4.0 ball recoveries and 2.8 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore. He's been praised for his "dazzling" performances by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Fleet of foot and creative, Williams ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 17% for assists and the top 21% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
These are some exceptional skills – no wonder Spurs hold a vested interest in securing his services.
How Nico Williams would fit in at Spurs
Williams is typically found on the left wing and this is the precise profile that Tottenham need to target this summer, strengthening the left wing and allowing Son to cement himself as a centre-forward.
Nico Williams
32
6
14
Heung-min Son
30
15
9
Richarlison
28
11
3
Dejan Kulusevski
33
6
3
Brennan Johnson
32
5
7
Timo Werner
27
4
4
Bryan Gil
11
0
0
It's worth stressing again that Son and Richarlison have both spent ample time upfront this season. No Spurs winger comes close to Williams in regard to his creativity, with this level of breakneck speed and dynamism opening up an exciting new dimension to the Tottenham attack.
He'd prove to be an upgrade on Johnson, who is endowed with frightening speed himself and has sharpened his attacking tools at Tottenham, but isn't a playmaker of the same calibre, doesn't offer the stunning stream of creative support that could see Son reach his individual best goalscoring campaign.
He could even be Tottenham's answer to Bukayo Saka, with his progressive style of play and deadly quality in the final third marking him as a winger of elite potential.
Saka is unquestionably more polished, with 31 goal contributions from 42 games this season, though he's a less frequent dribbler, ranking among the top 15% of positional peers for progressive carries but only the top 56% for successful take-ons per 90.
Given that analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that Williams is "good enough to displace Saka" when discussing Arsenal's interest in the Spaniard, it might just be the move to make.
While Williams needs to improve his finishing touch, he boasts a range of abilities that provide him with the tools to rise to a place alongside Saka as one of the most exciting wingers in England.
Now, Tottenham just need to act on their interest.
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ByAngus Sinclair Apr 18, 2024