They might not have won the Premier League, but the Tottenham Hotspur team of the mid to late 2010s was stacked with seriously entertaining players.
Whether it was Harry Kane and Son Heung-min scoring for fun or Christian Eriksen playing sensational pinpoint, accurate passes from the middle of the park, fans were guaranteed a good time when watching the North Londoners.
Yet, there was another starter of that time who was perhaps the best to watch out of the entire team, someone capable of starting an unreal move or thundering the ball into the back of the net himself: Dele Alli.
The midfield maestro was a superb footballer, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club could be about to pull off a transfer reminiscent of his all those years ago and land Thomas Frank his own Dele.
Tottenham looking to sign new midfielder
Spurs have been linked with plenty of midfield talents in recent weeks, most notably Adam Wharton and Quinten Timber.
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The former would be a brilliant signing for the club to make, as the young Englishman has more than established himself as a Premier League quality player, but with a reported price tag of up to £60m, he might just be out of reach.
Timber, on the other hand, could be a far smarter acquisition at a reported price of just £25m and with a tally of seven goal involvements in 26 games this season.
However, neither the players nor their potential moves could really be compared to Dele, unlike Hayden Hackney.
Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are now interested in the Middlesbrough gem.
The report claims that the North Londoners have entered the race to sign the young talent alongside Manchester United, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
Fortunately, while the competition will be a significant hurdle for the Lilywhites to contend with, the potential price tag shouldn’t be, with the story claiming the gem in question could be available for just £20m.
It would be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Hackney’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be Frank’s own Dele.
Why Hackney could be the new Dele
So, we know it’s a fairly bold opinion to suggest that Hackney, who might still be a relative unknown to many fans in the top flight, could be a Dele-esque signing for Spurs and Frank, but there are a few reasons why we think this.
The first is that, even though the former Tottenham star was more of an attacking midfielder than the Boro ace is, the latter is somewhat versatile in the roles he can play, something the former was known for during his time in the capital.
For example, while the Redcar-born gem is at his best at the base of midfield, he is more than capable of playing a more central role, has ventured further up the pitch into attacking midfield, and has even made a few appearances out wide.
Defensive Midfield
113
9
13
Central Midfield
54
6
4
Attacking Midfield
17
3
4
Left Midfield
10
1
2
Right Midfield
3
0
1
The second similarity is in relation to their transfers or potential in the 22-year-old’s case.
When he joined the Lilywhites, the former England international did so from an EFL club, moving from MK Dons for a significant, but not outrageous fee of £5m, and should this deal go through, the 5 foot 10 dynamo would also be moving from an EFL club for a fee that, in today’s game, certainly isn’t too dear.
Finally, and this is an important one, there is an expectation from many that the “immense” gem, as dubbed by manager Michael Carrick, could develop into a truly exceptional player.
For example, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “special player” and someone who should be a “high priority” signing; Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder called him a “super” talent, while another analyst proclaimed him a “progression monster.”
Ultimately, while he might not be a name everyone is familiar with, Spurs should do what they can to sign Hackney this summer, as with his potential, he could be Frank’s own Dele.
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