During Luis Enrique’s time in charge of the Spanish national team, his La Roja side appeared to wield an ever-changing crop of centre-forwards. Strikers of all shapes and sizes. Of all styles and skillsets.
Sometimes it was Alvaro Morata. Others Gerard Moreno. Borja Iglesias, Ferran Torres, Raul de Tomas and Mikel Oyarzabal were all handed chances through the middle too without ever really nailing down a starting berth.
But, while Enrique was certainly no stranger to rotation, one name almost seemed carved with irreversible ink upon his Spain team sheet.
Dani Olmo started all four of Spain’s games at the Qatar World Cup. He started all but one at Euro 2020 too.
From 2020 to 2021, the former Barcelona youngster picked up no fewer than 21 international caps. Olmo’s energy, flexibility, running power and attacking thrust made the now-RB Leipzig attacker integral to Enrique’s game plan – the three-lunged joker in his pack of playmakers – and reports suggesting that Olmo has been contacted by Tottenham Hotspur regarding a summer move to the Premier League are made all the more intriguing when you consider that Enrique remains one of the favourites to take over from Antonio Conte.
Luis Enrique and Dani Olmo together again at Tottenham Hotspur?
According to BILD, initial talks have taken place between Spurs and Leipzig regarding the £33 million-rated Olmo, a 24-year-old attacking midfielder who made the brave and now-justified decision to leave Barca’s fabled La Masia academy in order to make his name in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb.
“Dani Olmo was huge for us,” Enrique said after Spain were knocked out of Euro 2020 by Italy. “He is very smart, has a lot of quality. He is a very important player for us.
“Dani Olmo has proven that he has high quality,” the former Camp Nou boss adds. He offers a great level and tremendous flexibility in his movement.”
‘Huge for us’
Enrique recently told Cadena Ser that he is keen on a fresh start on English soil; sacked by Spain following their World Cup exit to plucky Morocco. Interestingly, Olmo also thrived under another Spurs target, Julian Nagelsmann, at RB Leipzig.
It is arguably alongside Enrique, however, where Olmo produced the best football of his career; sublime finishes against Georgia, Kosovo and Albania particularly reminiscent. Olmo’s fine solo effort in that 7-0 World Cup hammering of Costa Rica, meanwhile, highlighted a number of the attributes Enrique values so dearly.
The intelligence to find a pocket of space in a crowded penalty area. The technique to bring the ball under control. And, most importantly of all, the composure to finish.
Dani Olmo was ‘huge’ for Luis Enrique’s Spain. If both player and coach are reunited, you can expect Olmo to be equally colossal for Enrique’s Tottenham too.
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