The Lilywhites ought to appear to go on an “unwanted” brain in the summer, following Timo Werner’s arrival.
There can also have been sections of theTottenham Hotspur support who had been scratching their head at the information of the club’s activity in former Chelsea flop,Timo Werner, with the German speedster having hardly ever been the most thrilling seize on the surface.
The 27-year-old – who has signed on an preliminary mortgage deal from RB Leipzig – had earlier faltered in the Premier Leagueduring his time at Stamford Bridge, scoring just ten top-flight goals across two full seasons, prior to being despatched returned to the Bundesliga.
That return to his fatherland had additionally failed to pan out as the one-time Stuttgart man netted just twice in the first half of 2023/24 – and yet, the early proof would propose that Ange Postecoglou has pulled off some thing of a masterstroke, such has been Werner’s best start to lifestyles in Lilywhite.
Rather than being tasked with attempting to emulate the likes of Harry Kane thru the middle, the versatile asset has rather determined a home for himself on the left flank in his embryonic Tottenham career, registering two assists across his first three league outings.
That early influence has led to reward from pundit Jamie O’Hara, with the former Spurs midfielder pointing out that Werner has been a “good signing” for the club and that Postecoglou can “get the great out of him”, no matter his prior woes in west London.
With Heung-min Son soon set to return from the Asian Cup later this month, the former Celtic boss now has actual competition on the flanks in the form of the South Korean star, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Werner – a pool of brain that ought to help fire them toward a Champions League berth.
That strength in depth, however, need to prove bad news for one promising talent at N17, with Bryan Gil seemingly wanting to discover a new home over the summer, notwithstanding opting to stay put in the winter window.
January pastime in Bryan Gil
It is telling of Gil’s woes that in the preceding two January home windows he has been shipped out on loan lower back to his native Spain, with that epitomising just what a dismal deal it has been for all concerned considering his arrival from Sevilla back in 2021.
That £25m capture – which additionally saw Erik Lamela head in the other direction – looks to be a real costly mistake as a long way as Spurs are concerned, with the playmaker having quickly been despatched lower back to La Liga to join Valencia in 2022, prior to making a return to Andalusia a year later.
As pundit Noel Whelan stated, sending the teen lower back to a league that he has already impressed in appeared “utterly pointless”, hence the intrigue concerning a manageable cross within the Premier League remaining month.
The suggestion late in the window was that Brighton and Hove Albion were keen to signal the 22-year-old on mortgage till the give up of the season, with the two clubs having even held talks regarding that potential transient switch.
As it proved, however, the four-cap international reportedly shunned that interest amid his desire to continue to be in north London, although it stays to be seen how much game time he will go on to get this season, particularly amid the signing of Werner.
Bryan Gil’s season through numbers
Since turning down the Seagulls’ advances, Gil has been described as a “fantastic young player” by his manager, with Postecoglou hinting that the five foot nine dynamo has largely no longer been helped due to injuries this season.
That being said, when the £40k-per-weektalent has featured of late he hasn’t precisely executed tons to impress, with Sky Sport pundit Jamie Carragher brutally declaring that the winger “looked like a boy playing in a man’s game”, after he was once hooked at 1/2 time in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
That time out at the Etihad was once one of justtwo league starts that the left-footer has earned so a long way this season, having additionally struggled to make an have an impact on off the bench with no goals or assists in eleven games in all competitions.
As Postecoglou noted, injuries have been a factor in derailing his progress, even though there is a nagging feeling that Gil sincerely struggles to have an effect on games, having created zero ‘big chances’ and averaged simply 0.3 key passes per recreation in the league in 2023/24.
Part of a group of players whom writer Mitch Fretton described as “unwanted” at the club remaining summer, the peripheral determine additionally averages just 0.4 tackles and interceptions per game, with the protecting part of his recreation additionally lacking.
How Bryan Gil compares to Timo Werner
It is quite fantastic that in just four appearances for Spurs to date, Werner has already matched Gil’s record of two assists – in spite of the reality that the Spaniard has now played 42 games for the club.
While there have been stints out on loan, in over three years at N17, Gil has also failed to score so a ways in all competitions, with the north Londoners having hardly seen any return on their as an alternative substantial £25m investment.
It is no longer as if the Brighton goal has in particular ripped it up in the course of his time in Spain either, his pleasant returns seeing him score four goals and make a contribution 4 assists in 29 video games for Eibar, while imparting just 9 aim contributions in 45 games for Sevilla.
Werner, meanwhile, chalked up 160 desires and assists in just 213 video games throughout two spells at Leipzig, whilst additionally truly boasting a strong record for the Blues with 44 goal involvements in simply 89 games.
The Champions League winner’s most efficient hazard can additionally be seen by using the fact that he ranks in the pinnacle 11% among his European friends for touches in attacking penalty area per 90, while Gil, by means of contrast, ranks in just the backside 34% in that regard.
With Werner already making an instantaneous affect underneath Postecoglou, it is tough to see young Gil being in a position to replicate such a resurgence over the coming months, with the eventual outcome likely to be a much-needed exit this summer.
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