GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 22: Emil Forsberg of RB Leipzig during the German Bundesliga match between Schalke 04 v RB Leipzig at the Veltins Arena on February 22, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen Germany (Photo by Peter Lous/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Tottenham could offer RB Leipzig star a lifeline
Tottenham are still missing a creative spark in the midfield after the departure of Christian Eriksen. Emil Forsberg could fill that void for Spurs.
Emil Forsberg’s creative play in the midfield was once a staple of RB Leipzig’s impressive attack. Now he spends more time on the club’s bench than their pitch. That could lead the Sweden International to make a move to Tottenham this summer.
Reports in Germany believe Forsberg will be offered to several clubs at the very reasonable transfer price of £20 million when the transfer window opens again. Tottenham are one of several clubs linked with interest in the 28-year-old midfielder. Jose Mourinho’s squad is still searching for the heir apparent to Christian Eriksen in the heart of their midfield.
Part of the reason for Forsberg’s availability stems to the fact that he only has one year left on his current contract. Presumably, he’ll be looking for a new deal from any club that purchases him. That could complicate Spurs’ interest in the skillful midfielder.
Simply put, there’s a reason why Forsberg finds himself on Leipzig’s bench more often than not this season. He lacks the athleticism and drive to really thrive in their uptempo system. That lack of work rate may be due to age related regression. If so, Tottenham would be smart to stay away from spending big money on him this summer.
If, on the other hand, his relative malaise is more down to unhappiness with his current status at Leipzig, this could prove to be a masterstroke for Mourinho and his coaching staff. Giovani Lo Celso needs support in the heart of Tottenham’s midfield. Adding a playmaker like Forsberg coudl take a lot of pressure off the young Argentine. At the very least, he could provide a rotation option that would help keep the Spurs squad fresh next year.
Tottenham supporters should expect to see their club linked with quite a few big name transfers as the summer approaches. Forsberg may be of interest to Spurs, but he won’t be one of Mourinho’s top targets. There will be plenty of players of his ilk made available when the summer transfer window arrives.
