Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Danny Murphy has concerns about Dejan Kulusevski’s ability to make an impact in the Premier League under Antonio Conte, speaking to talkSPORT (11.50am).
In the summer of 2020, Juventus signed two of the most exciting, up-and-coming attackers in Serie A. And the reaction to both deals could hardly have been more different.
One was held up as an inspired piece of business, the league’s reigning Young Player of the Year. The other, some said, was destined to disappoint.
Nearly two years on, it’s fair to say Kulusevski and Federico Chiesa have confounded expectations.
Kulusevski was supposed to be Juventus’s next superstar. Instead, he’s been outshone quite considerably by a man who has gone from ‘superfluous’ to ‘superstar’ in Turin.
Chiesa, these days, is the prancing posterboy of this Juventus side. Kulusevski, meanwhile, is heading for the exit after less than two seasons at the Italian giants.
Few would have expected that this is how things would turn out for Kulusevski and Chiesa.
Will Dejan Kulusevski thrive or fail at Tottenham?
According to The Guardian, Tottenham have agreed a loan-to-buy deal for the £30 million Sweden international. Kulusevski will move to North London alongside Juventus team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur.
But while Murphy is expecting Bentancur to add some much-needed grit and guile to Spurs’ spluttering engine room, he is less than convinced about Kulusevski.
“He’s a powerful boy, left footed who likes to play on the right. (But) he’s not better than (Lucas) Moura, he’s not better than (Heung-Min) Son,” says Murphy.
“His end product isn’t great. His numbers aren’t great. He’s strong, fit, steady, powerful. But it’s a strange one for me.
“The other lad, an elegant holding midfielder, Bentancur, he’ll make a difference to them.
“But Kulusevski… if you’ve got Moura and Son fit, he’s not gonna be playing in my book. I know you need strength in depth but Tottenham, I think, should be looking at players who are gonna be going into their XI and make them better.”
Kulusevski has started just five Serie A games since Max Allegri replaced Andrea Pirlo in the Turin hotseat.
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