‘Perfect’: Mourinho thinks player Spurs have been trying to sign could be ‘very good’

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According to Roberto De Fanti, Tottenham Hotspur have been making attempts to sign Marcus Rashford this summer as Antonio Conte looks to bolster the Spurs attack.

Rashford is a player Tottenham fans will know well. He’s an England international who has been a Premier League regular for the longest time now, and sadly, he’s blown hot and cold over the past couple of years at Manchester United.

At times, he looks absolutely unplayable, but, on other occasions, he looks bereft of ideas, confidence and quality.

One man who has spotted Rashford’s inconsistency is Jose Mourinho. The former Tottenham boss worked with Rashford at Manchester United, and the Roma boss believes that Rashford’s problems lie positionally, stating that he’s not a number nine or a target man.

However, Mourinho has said that Rashford could be the perfect player if he is utilised out on the left wing.

What’s been said?

Mourinho spoke about Rashford back in 2019 after he was used on the wing by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“I do not think he is a pure nine. If Ole is going to play him as he did today then I think he is the perfect player for him,” Mourinho said.

“He’s young but he is experienced. With 21 years he probably has more matches than some players who are 24, 25. For me he is potentially a very good player, in some models and in some positions,” he added.

“As a number nine, I don’t think he has the 30 goals a season in him. I don’t think he can get better as a target man. To be better as a target man is difficult for him.”

Would work at Spurs

Mourinho says that Rashford can be brilliant if he’s not played as a centre-forward, and perhaps that’s why he should move to Spurs.

At Tottenham, there is next to no danger of Rashford being played as a central striker. Antonio Conte uses a 3-4-3 system with two wide players, and Harry Kane is pretty much guaranteed that starting spot in the middle.

Rashford would be a great fit down the left for Spurs, but, of course, there’s the small issue of displacing Heung-Min Son that he would have to consider.

Tactically, this could be a great fit, but whether or not it would work in practice is up for debate.