Mauricio Pochettino was desperate to sell Victor Wanyama over the summer and he’s played just 24 minutes of Premier League football for Spurs since.
The long, drawn-out departure of Mauricio Pochettino might have had even the most hard-nosed Tottenham supporter wiping a rueful tear away from his eyes. But, while the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli have taken to social media to pen heartfelt goodbyes to the best Spurs manager of the 21st century, the Argentine’s sudden sacking certainly won’t have each and every member of the squad in mourning.
Victor Wanyama, in particular, could be forgiven for enjoying a cold glass of champagne and toasting a fresh start in North London.
The Kenyan powerhouse has played just 24 minutes of Premier League football all season and it is no secret that Pochettino did everything in his power to sell him over the summer.
“In the case of Victor, he suffered an injury and another player stepped up and took his place. We are a team, not a charity,” the Argentine told The Mirror in August.
A prospective move to Club Brugge or a return to Celtic failed to materialise, however, leaving Wanyama in a rather awkward predicament. But if the £11 million enforcer was hoping that Pochettino’s exit would coincide with a dramatic change in fortunes for his own Spurs career, he might be disappointed.
Strong, sturdy and aggressive, Jose Mourinho has made good use of midfielders like Wanyama over the years, from Claude Makelele and Nemanja Matic at Chelsea to Thiago Motta at Inter Milan. But all the signs suggest that Mourinho will be looking to bring in his own man from outside, rather than put his trust in the seldom-seen 28-year-old.
According to Jeunes Footeaux, Mourinho is hoping to raid Lille once again, after landing two of their coaches, to bring Boubakary Soumare to the English capital. Like Wanyama, Soumare is an excellent ball-winner who patrols the centre of the pitch with boundless tenacity.
But he’s far better on the ball than the rather limited Wanyama, completing 90 per cent of his passes in Ligue 1 this season, while he’s eight years younger too and yet to come anywhere near realising his vast potential.
Tottenham’s coaching staff might have changed – but Wanyama’s situation could remain the same.
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