Boubakary Soumare’s Champions League masterclass in Lille vs Chelsea shows why Jose Mourinho wants him at Spurs.
If Tottenham Hotspur fans were tuning in to watch Chelsea flirt with disaster in the Champions League on Tuesday night, they could have been forgiven for wondering when on earth Mousa Dembele had signed for Lille.
Slaloming past Frank Lampard’s midfield with poise and purpose while making an impressive four interceptions at Stamford Bridge, Boubakary Soumare produced a colossal performance that Dembele himself would have been proud of in West London.
At the age of 19, the one-time PSG youngster already plays with a maturity that belies his tender years – he’s a ball-winner, a playmaker and a counter-attacking force, all rolled into one.
Meanwhile, only Mateo Kovacic and Willian have completed more take-ons in the Champions League this season. A remarkable statistic, when you consider the sheer amount of world class attackers who call Europe’s premiere club competition their home.
Now, it’s no coincidence that Tottenham’s sudden decline, and the drawn-out end of the Mauricio Pochettino era, immediately followed the decision to let Dembele chase the cash in China 11 months ago.
Spurs have never come close to replacing an evergreen maestro who became the driving force behind Pochettino’s success in North London but, in Soumare, it seems they have identified a player capable of filing a Dembele-shaped void at the heart of the club’s midfield.
Jose Mourinho wants Soumare to be one of his first signings as Tottenham head coach, Jeunes Footeaux reports, while Lille would be willing to listen to offers of around £43 million.
Hardly pocket change but, as Tottenham fans everywhere will tell you, finding a man capable of replicating Dembele’s influence would be absolutely priceless.
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