Bad for Johnson: Spurs will see £52m bid accepted to sign "world-class" star
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.
The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.
Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.
However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.
25/26 Premier League
Spurs
League rank
Shots on target
38
14th
Non-penalty xG
11.0
15th
xG
11.0
15th
xGA
15.2
14th
xGD
-4.2
17th
xGD per 90
-0.38
17th
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.
Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.
Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson
Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.
The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.
However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.
24/25 PL
Johnson (per 90)
Rank vs wingers
xAG
0.10
Bottom 18%
Assists
0.12
Bottom 37%
Progressive passes
2.94
Bottom 39%
Progressive carries
2.84
Bottom 33%
Successful take-ons
0.79
Bottom 22%
Passes into the final third
1.03
Bottom 20%
Key passes
0.79
Bottom 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.
This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.
Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger
Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.
Transfer Focus
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According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.
The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.
It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.
Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.
Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo
Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.
The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.
Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.
You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.
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However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.
Last 365 days in Men’s Top 5 Leagues & European competitions
Stats
Kubo (per 90)
Rank vs midfielders
xAG
0.17
Top 10%
Assists
0.07
Bottom 45%
Progressive passes
3.66
Bottom 22%
Progressive carries
4.60
Top 1%
Successful take-ons
2.58
Top 1%
Touches in attacking penalty area
4.81
Top 1%
Key passes
1.78
Top 10%
Passes into the penalty area
1.43
Top 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”
The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.
Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.
With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.
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That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.