Who is Dejan Kulusevski?
As the hours dwindle away on another transfer window, it’s fair to say that Antonio Conte and Spurs have had something of a challenging time of it since the market opened again on January 1st.
Key targets Luis Diaz and Adama Traore have chosen shinier, trophy-winning prospects in Liverpool and Barcelona, while non-league winger Oliver Tanner’s proposed move to White Hart Lane broke down after failing to agree personal terms.
Another fine mess, and no mistake.
Thankfully for Spurs and online casinos, as the eleventh-hour approaches, it looks as if some moves are finally being made.
Juventus winger Dejan Kulusevski is the man in question—with a loan move and option to buy the proposed package being assembled in the corridors of power in North London. Details as yet are relatively thin on the ground, but various online sources suggest that the deal could be finalised on Monday.
What will Spurs be getting?
Despite being only 21, Kulusevski has already made 20 appearances for his native Sweden, while already in his 5th season of Serie A action—with spells at Atalanta, Parma, and, most recently, Juventus.
Spurs’ Director of Football, Fabio Paratici, is clearly a keen admirer of the Swede, having taken him from Atalanta to the Bianconeri in 2020.
Kulusevski’s breakout season, though, came in 2019/20 with a year-long loan at Parma. 10 goals, 8 assists, and a number of dominant performances were enough to convince Juventus to throw down €35m for the exciting Scandinavian prospect.
Nothing if not versatile, at Parma, Kulusevski was used as an attacking midfielder, a forward, or as an inverted right-winger. The combination of flexibility and devastating end-product was the cause of Paratici’s first advances towards Kulusevski and, presumably, he feels he can offer the same kind of effectiveness at Spurs under Conte.
After seeing his game time limited at Juventus, amidst plenty of managerial upheaval, Conte will be hoping for the Parma-variant of Kulusevski which would be a hugely useful weapon in the Premier League.
Numbers game
Statistically, even when minutes are curtailed, Kulusevski has managed to average more than 4 shots per game during his short career; allied with his assist total and creative output at Parma, it’s clear there’s plenty to offer Spurs.
Young, versatile, and relatively experienced for his age, Kulusevski would add instant depth to the squad and there’s every reason to believe he has room for growth, particularly under a coach like Conte who has a history of extracting every last drop of potential out of his players.
While not offering the same absolute Blitzkrieg pace of either Diaz or Traore, his goals and assist output alone should convince Spurs fans that he’s a worthwhile addition. Even if we’re leaning heavily on that one season alone, Adana Traore could only dream of those kinds of figures.
Tottenham’s transfer strategy seems confusing and scary at times, but with the signing of Kuluevski, there is at least something tangible to get excited about.
