Tottenham Hotspur were one of the busiest teams in the 2023 summer transfer window. Harry Kane’s transfer saga was one of the most talked-about things, and the former Spurs captain left the club to join German giants Bayern Munich. The team brought in some players, and some of these signings were made before Kane’s departure.
One of the biggest signings of the summer for Tottenham Hotspur was converting Dejan Kulusevski‘s loan deal into a permanent one. The Swedish forward joined from Juventus after impressing everyone during his time in North London. Let’s take a look at why the team decided to pay €35 million for him.
Creative winger
Spurs are playing under Ange Postecoglou this season. The former Celtic manager is known for his offensive tactics, and the team has shown their ability in the opening matches. Tottenham Hotspur plays in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and Kulusevski plays on the right side of the front three.
The above touch map shows that the player likes to stay wide and beat the defenders with his pace. Kulusevski’s great control of the ball allows him to penetrate the opposition penalty box on occasion. This season, he has already taken 27 touches in four matches, and one came in the six-yard box.
The 23-year-old is one of the best dribblers in the league this season. In 2023–24, the player attempted 26 dribbles and had a high success rate of 77%. A natural left-footed forward who likes to get into the penalty box and look for his teammates in goal-scoring positions.
Dejan Kulusevski has a very direct approach and is often seen looking for players inside the penalty box. With a decent accuracy rate of 82.6%, the player attempted 33.2 passes per 90 minutes. These include 2.77 passes to the opposition penalty box, with a high accuracy rate of 75%.
End product
Dejan Kulusevski has played over 50 Premier League games since joining Tottenham Hotspur. The Spurs winger has found the back of the net eight times. A typical left-footed right winger, Kulusevski likes to open his body to take shots from his preferred foot.
The above shot map shows the 75 attempts taken by the player during his time in North London. His accuracy rate has been 32%, with most of the shots targeted to the right of the goalkeeper. Kulusevski scored his first goal of the 2023-24 campaign against Bournemouth.
The Swede’s biggest ability is to create continuous chances for his teammates. During his time in North London, the 23-year-old has 68 shot assists to his name. Of these 68 shot assists, 14 have found the back of the net.
Most of the shot assists have been cutbacks or low crosses reaching the front of the opposition goal. Spurs are dangerous on the counter-attack, and Kulusevski adds more quality to it.
Dejan Kulusevski has 22 goals in 52 games. He is one of the biggest names on the team and has a bright future ahead. The Swede will look to take his side to a top-four finish.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
