Spurs are chasing a “box-breaking” upgrade on the £42m starlet from Bissouma

A big part Tottenham Hotspur this year’s campaign was defined by injury and complete collapse Premier League form, but the win over Liverpool on Wednesday at League Cup could potentially be the beginning of a turnaround.

The north Londoners have been brilliant to a man, and while the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke and new goalkeeper Antonín Kinský have received most of the attention since then, understandably, there’s another starter who should get plenty of plaudits: Yves Bissouma.

The Mali international has made a lot of mistakes this season, but he was solid against the Reds and more than deserved an 8/10 match score given to him by Alasdair Gold full time.

However, it may be a case of too little too late for the 28-year-old, with recent reports now linking the club with someone who could be an upgrade for him, a player who could become Spurs’ very own Declan Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur are chasing a Rice-style star

According to a recent report from the Italian publication TuttoJuveTottenham is one of several teams interested in the Juventus ace Douglas Luiz.

Apart from the Lilywhites, the report revealed that fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United are also interested in the former Aston Villa star.

The report did not mention how much the transfer could cost, but given his struggles and severe lack of minutes this season, we’d be surprised if the Old Lady asked for more than £42 million they paid him in the summer.

If that’s the price they want, then it would still represent a significant investment for Spurs, but given how well he’s played in England and the fact he’s been compared to Rice before, it could be worth it, even if he’s a poor performer news for Bissoum.

Luiz’s comparisons to Rice and Bissoum

Okay, before we look at how Luiz gets on with the man he could replace in the Spurs midfield, it’s worth examining his comparisons to Rice and where they come from.

Well, that primarily derived from FBrefwho last season compared players in similar positions in the Premier League, then made a list of the ten most comparable players for each, and in this case concluded that the Englishman is the seventh most similar midfielder to the Brazilian.

The best way to see where this comparison came from is that look at the underlying metrics in which the pair are closely ranked, including but not limited to key passes, tackles won, tackles, blocks and more, all at 90.

On top of the statistical similarities between the two, both are more than capable of switching between the six and eight depending on what their team needs, and some, like former pro Jermaine Pennant, the former Villa ace believes “can do everything Rice can do and better.”

With all that said, how does Juve’s ace stack up against a player he could potentially replace in N17?

Well, when comparing his underlying numbers from last season, when he was playing domestically, to the former Brighton & Hove Albion stars from this season, he comes out on top, and by some margin.

For example, the “wonderful” midfielder, ace dubbed by Unai Emeryleads in most metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive transfers, key passes, crosses and passes into the penalty area, goal-scoring and shooting actions, blocks, rebounds, aerial duels won and more, 90 each.

After all, while Bissouma put in a stellar turn against Liverpool on Wednesday, he hasn’t been reliable enough for Spurs in recent years.

Therefore, even if he is only on loan to begin with, Levy and Co should try to bring in the “box-breaking” Luiz, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinsonto North London this month, as it could become their very own Rice.