Willian Would Be an Ideal Replacement for Gareth Bale at Tottenham

According to Eurosport, Anzhi Makhachkala owner Suleyman Kerimov has made his entire first-team squad available for transfer.

Bizarre as that news may seem, it could well spell out an attractive solution for Tottenham Hotspur amid an ugly Gareth Bale saga.

Among those listed, there is one particular Anzhi player that would be of genuine interest to Andre Villas-Boas. If Spurs close a world-record deal to sell their Welsh wizard to Real Madrid, a certain Brazilian could well provide the perfect antidote.

We speak of Willian, of course, who transferred from Shakhtar Donetsk to Anzhi in January 2013 for an astonishing €35 million.

Replacing Bale is tough, and his exponential growth this season—not just in technical prowess and goal threat, but in his ability to drift into many positions—was always going to be hard for a club outside of UEFA Champions League football to replace.

He's no longer just the electric left-winger that stole Maicon's reputation one night in Milan. He's one of the best players in the Premier League, who looks certain to break Cristiano Ronaldo's record.

Having someone in the squad that you can move around to find positive matchups with is a fantastic option. It was AVB's ability to identify—be it before or midgame—where Bale could do damage that led Spurs to so many wins.

Very few players would be attainable that even come remotely close to replacing such a talent, but the Anzhi fire-sale may well have come at just the right time.

Russian journalist Aleksandr Aksenov has confirmed there will be no major discounts on players, but with close to £100 million under their belts, Spurs could afford Willian at full price.

The player himself operates from the left wing or centrally as a No. 10, weaving his way into space using any means necessary. He was one of the best left-siders in the UCL group stage last season for the Hirnyky, rivaling Alan and Cristiano Ronaldo for goals and assists.

He's quick and slight, technically superior to most and possesses the key to unlock top-tier defences. He interested several Premier League clubs before sealing a move to Russia, and Spurs would be wise to re-ignite that interest.

Who Scored clocked him at two key passes per game for Shakhtar, while in Russia he's tearing teams apart: five key passes and six dazzling dribbles against Lokomotiv Moscow, three assists in four games so far.

Willian is not quite the talent Bale is, but he'd go a long way to replacing him. Add in a few other players—perhaps Lacina Traore from Anzhi, too?—and the squad strength does not diminish.

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