Is Federico Chiesa the forward Tottenham need to push on?

 

It's been a subdued transfer window at Tottenham so far. The sole addition has been youngster Archie Gray from Leeds, with the onus on outgoings rather than incomings this summer. Joe Rodon has departed for the Whites, Tanguy Ndombele had his contract rescinded, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Ryan Sessegnon have also left. Emerson Royal, Sergio Reguilon and Bryan Gil are expected to leave before too long.

 

While making new additions isn't the be all and end all for teams, new faces can rejuvenate a squad to help build on the previous campaign. This feels particularly important for Spurs. The north London side made a stunning start to life under Ange Postecoglou but injuries and a lack of strength in depth saw his side endure an indifferent second half to the campaign. 

 

Postecoglou has pleaded for patience in the transfer window as Spurs gear up to make a splash in the market. It's been reported they are ready to confirm a number of deals and are just waiting for the green light from the selling club. One of those rumoured signings is Juventus and Italy forward Federico Chiesa. 

 

 

Chiesa has just a year left to run on his current deal with the Old Lady, and the Italian side are prepared to cash in on the former Fiorentina man this summer rather than lose him on a free next year. And as Spurs gear up for a return to European football, Chiesa is one who has been linked with a move to the capital. 

 

The 26-year-old has endured his fair share of injury issues - he started just 25 of 38 league games for the Old Lady last season - but he's a direct, hard-working forward that would suit this Postecoglou system. Indeed, the Australian demands his wingers remain high and wide, stretch the play, take on the opposition full-back and attack the penalty box. When one gets on the ball, the other then makes a darting run to the back post. It's why fans saw Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson score carbon-copies of the same goal on occasion last season 

 

In this instance, then, Chiesa fits the bill perfectly. The forward ended the campaign with nine league goals to his name, scoring six with his right foot and three with his left. While Chiesa may favour starting from the left before cutting infield onto his right, his speed combined with his two-footedness means Spurs would have an incredibly versatile winger capable of carrying out a number of duties on either flank. 

 

Factor in the ability to play up front, either on his own or with a partner, and it's easy to see why Chiesa would fit in well under Postecoglou. If starting from the right, Chiesa would be able to maximise a desire to put the ball into the box to great effect. 3.5 crosses per game ranked 21st in Serie A last season, and he was relatively consistent when picking out a teammate having returned a modest 34.2% cross success rate. 

 

 

Receiving the ball to feet, Chiesa has the means to get the better of a marker having averaged 1.4 successful dribbles per 90 in Serie A last season. At Euro 2024, that figure rose to 2.7 successful dribbles per 90, albeit using a smaller sample size. However, this may be due to a change in role for the national team, with Chiesa starting from the right for Italy at the Euros and largely used through the middle for Juventus. 

 

This is a similar case for the work off the ball by Chiesa, where the number of tackles per 90 rose form 0.8 to two at Euro 2024 with the bulk of those coming from the games he started from the right. What his arrival would mean for Johnson or Dejan Kulusevski, the latter having been linked with a summer exit, remains to be seen, but Chiesa has ample experience in Italy's top tier and in Europe's elite club competitions. The latter is key ahead of a return to the Europa League and for one of the Premier League's youngest squads. 

 

With Juventus demanding such a low fee, Chiesa could prove a decisive addition to Spurs as they seek to build upon their top-five finish. The north London side would face competition for his services from Prremier League rivals but considering the lure of Postecoglou and former sporting director Fabio Paratici, the Italian still carrying out work behind the scenes; Chiesa could well be the next man in at Tottenham.

Is Federico Chiesa the forward Tottenham need to push on?