Tottenham Hotspur look like they’ll be signing Yves Bissouma this summer.
The Times have reported that a £25m fee has been agreed, and according to The Athletic, a medical has been scheduled for later this week.
Bissouma may soon be announced as Spurs’ third summer signing, but how will he get on in north London? And what will the ramifications of his arrival be? We’ve asked some of our writers to give their view on this signing.
Charles Jones
Yves Bissouma could be the missing piece of the puzzle for Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs have a fantastic frontline, while their defence has been incredible since the appointment of Antonio Conte, and now, Bissouma could be the man to tie all of that together.
Much like Mousa Dembele, Bissouma is a physical presence in the middle of the park who is also brilliant on the ball, and if Conte can hone in on his talents, the sky could be the limit for the Malian.
Bissouma, a new centre-back and a new right-wing-back could be enough to take Tottenham to their first major honour since 2007.
At just £25m, this could be a snip and it’s fair to say that Arsenal will be jealous of this one after following Bissouma for a long time.
Dylan Walsh
Tottenham signing Yves Bissouma for the rumoured fee ahead of the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool could be one of the signings of the summer as he adds quality depth to Spurs’ squad given that they’ll be competing in the UCL next season and could actually challenge for trophies with Antonio Conte at the helm.
My only concern is that signing Bissouma, along with Rodrigo Bentancur in January, is that it blocks a development path for Oliver Skipp, who in the first half of last season was arguably Tottenham’s best midfielder and a talent who could be on England’s radar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Kyle Archer
Tottenham signing Yves Bissouma from Brighton will add another quality player to Antonio Conte’s midfield. But the Mali international may struggle to force his way into the Italian’s starting line-up ahead of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and star January signing Rodrigo Bentancur.
Hojbjerg and Bentancur established a strong partnership following the Uruguayan’s winter arrival as Spurs secured qualification for the Champions League. The former had regressed slightly from the levels he set in 2020/21 but improved with Bentancur’s calming presence.
So, Bissouma will likely have to show Conte he will offer more than Hojbjerg going forward for a way in. But that is not where the 25-year-old has thrived most for Brighton, as he has been the defensive anchor protecting Graham Potter’s backline by locking down the core.
Danny Owen
A key part of the Conte gameplan at Spurs appears to revolve around giving his central midfielders a lot more freedom to push on and join the attack. With that in mind, Bissouma should prove to be an upgrade on the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp due to his ball-carrying ability. Perhaps, if Conte pairs Bissouma and Hojbjerg together, the former will be given the freedom by the latter to do what he does best, allowing Hojbjerg to focus purely on his defensive tasks.
Such a partnership gives Spurs both grit and guile in the middle of the park, a perfect blend of both tenacity and technique.
What’s more, Champions League football means there will be plenty of opportunities to go around next season. And, with Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Bissouma, Skipp and potentially even Harry Winks (if he stays), Tottenham should have enough depth to cope with both domestic and European exploits.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
