Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Rumours: Scouting Alvaro Negredo
Could Alvaro Negredo be heading to Tottenham Hotspur?
Despite Andre Villas-Boas' claims that he is not seeking cover for Emmanuel Adebayor (via BBC Sport), the Sevilla hitman is being linked with a ยฃ15 million move to White Hart Lane.
According to The Daily Mail, Sevilla are more than happy to shift Negredo on for a decent fee:
"The La Liga club acknowledge the 27-year-old is likely to leave this month as they look to secure a significant cash inject from his sale.
Sportsmail understands that Negredo is looking for a four-and-a-half year deal, worth in excess of ยฃ70,000 per week.
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Is the Spanish international worth spending on? Let's take a look at his recent statistics, main attributes and what he could bring to Spurs.
Current Season Statistics
As with the rest of his career, Negredo is currently averaging a goal every two games in La Liga. So far this season, 15 domestic starts and one substitute appearance have resulted in eight goals.
The physical forward has netted 35 percent of Sevilla's goals in the current campaign. During a recent interview with Revista De La Liga, Negredo suggested his future could rest in England (via Goal.com):
"They say it is easier for footballers to go out and about, whereas in Spain it is quite difficult to leave the house; they say you don't have as much scrutiny there and I like that.
There comes a time when a cycle comes to an end and I don't know if it will be sooner or later [at Sevilla], but I think the English League is great and I think my style of football would be well suited to it.ย
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Is the forward issuing a plea to Premier League clubs with this statement?
Finishing Ability
Negredo is very much an out-and-out striker. The former Real Madrid youngster isn't famed for his defensive contribution. He tends to make a nuisance of himself by hanging just outside the opposition's areaโwhere he often holds the ball up and waits for support.
Bursting into the box, Negredo is a fantastic finisher. His technical ability combines acute skill with power, ensuring he is just as likely to chip the keeper as he is to blast past him.
While Tottenham possess strength in depth across the board, aerial threat is missing if Adebayor isn't on the pitch. One of Negredo's greatest strengths is his dominance in the air. He is a threat from set-pieces and could compliment the delivery of Gareth Bale.
How would he fit into Tottenham's plans?
Andre Villas-Boas could utilise Negredo in a number of ways.
He may become this team's Roman Pavlyuchenkoโa quality sub who has the capability to make a difference from the bench.
Emmanuel Adebayor has only played three games from start to finish this season. Instead of sacrificing Spurs' formation when taking him off, Negredo could complete the same role.
It's worth noting the Spaniard is unlikely to spend much time as a substitute. That said, with Andre Villas-Boasโthe man who regularly benches Hugo Llorisโyou never know.
A partnership with Jermain Defoe could be rather enticing for Spurs fans. Both players have a diverse set of skills that would complement each other in play.
Negredo often tries to thread long balls through to his teammates, as suggested by his current La Liga pass accuracy rate of 65.2 percent. This could be highly profitable when combined with Defoe's insistence on making runs through the middle.
Both strikers are natural finishers who have an eye for the spectacular. Negredo isn't as explosive as Defoeโand won't work as hard as Adebayor defensivelyโbut he is equipped to take important opportunities.
Should Negredo join Spurs during the January transfer window? Let me know in the comments section below and be sure to follow me on Twitter:
All statistics in this article are courtesy of Whoscored.
