Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara has questioned the logic of signing Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal, telling talkSPORT (24 January, 11.30pm) that the Premier League-bound winger is not an obvious upgrade on Lucas Moura.
The raw statistics, however, speak for themselves. In the last two full seasons, Danjuma has scored 33 goals. He averaged almost one every two games during his debut season at Villarreal; netting against Bayern Munich, Atalanta and Juventus en route to the Champions League semi-finals.
Did we mention that Danjuma isn’t even what you would call a ‘proper’ centre-forward?
With Heung-Min Son a pained shadow of his former self and Richarlison yet to open his account in the Premier League, Danjuma’s arrival should, in theory, help ease Spurs’ long-running reliance upon the talismanic Harry Kane.
O’Hara, however, is yet to be convinced.
Danjuma undoubtedly improves Tottenham’s overall squad. But can the Dutch international command a place in Antonio Conte’s starting XI with Kane, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and even an out-of-sorts Son for competition?
Tottenham will beat Everton to Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma
“Is he going to improve the team? I know he’s a good player. My issue with Tottenham is we are signing another player who doesn’t necessarily make the team better,” O’Hara says, arguing that funds would be better spent on improving a vulnerable backline.
“I don’t want to make the squad better, I want to make the team better! I don’t think Lucas Moura is worse than Danjuma.
“We need a centre-half!”
Danjuma thrived in a more central role at Villarreal. But, with the number nine position under lock and key, the former Bournemouth forward is more likely to feature in a wide position at Tottenham.
He scored 17 goals and set up eight more from the left-hand side at Bournemouth in 2020/21. Son, enduring the longest barren spell of his Spurs career, currently looks the most likely to make way. Who knows? Perhaps the addition of serious competition is exactly what Son needs to shake him from his slumber.
The Times believe that Tottenham, who hi-jacked Everton’s deal for Danjuma almost at the eleventh hour, could include a £27 million option-to-buy clause in the 25-year-old’s contract.
Conte has already confirmed, meanwhile, that Lucas Moura will leave in the summer. His current deal expires in July, and a return to Brazil with Sao Paulo may be on the cards.
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