Tottenham Hotspur's 4-1 victory over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon has completely changed the mood in north London after an abject run of form that saw Ange Postecoglou's side lose four of five matches in the Premier League, drawing the other game.
There's no hiding from the fact that the recent blip has been an unacceptable lapse in form, injuries or not, but so much credit must be given to the Australian manager for his instant success in transforming the beleaguered Lilywhites squad and propelling them to the forefront of the division across the opening months of the 2023/24 campaign.
But given that he only arrived in the summer after Spurs finished eighth and lost talisman Harry Kane, such can be forgiven: there is a clear philosophy currently being instilled and while defensive reinforcements are needed, the attack deserves attention too.
With that in mind, it might be wise for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy to invest in the frontline in January, with reports this month suggesting that the London club could be among the frontrunners for prodigious winger Johan Bakayoko.
Tottenham transfer targets – Johan Bakayoko
According to a report from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke at the start of December, Spurs are preparing to go head to head with London rivals Brentford in January, with Thomas Frank's side failing with a club-record £34m offer in August.
More recently, pundit Alan Hutton conversed with the site to detail his thoughts on the prospective move, claiming that Spurs must jump on the chance to secure his services in January.
Hutton said: “Bakayoko I’ve seen play for PSV against Rangers and I thought he was amazing. He’s very tricky, he’s got pace and power, he can score a goal, so Spurs won’t close the door.
“If there’s an opportunity to bring a player on that level into your club, it will make you better. I’d never turn it down if the fee was correct.”
With emphasis likely to be heaped on the defensive ranks, it's unclear at this stage whether Levy would be willing to bolster across different areas, but should he decide that his frontal areas need more work, Bakayoko could be the dream acquisition.
Johan Bakayoko's style of play
Described as an "essential piece of this magnificent PSV team" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 5 foot 10 winger has been immense across the maiden years of his professional career, understandably drawing attention from Premier League sides.
This season, he has posted four goals and 13 assists from 25 outings across all competitions, creating 2.8 key passes and making 3.3 ball recoveries per game in the Dutch Eredivisie, as per Sofascore.
Dribbling
Ball retention
Passing
Key passes
Finishing
Long shots
*Sourced via WhoScored
Already boasting nine Belgium caps, the progress that Bakayoko has made over the past year or so has been remarkable, having scored five goals and five assists apiece in the league during the 2022/23 league season.
During the later days of the summer, Liverpool, Everton and Paris Saint-Germain were credited with an interest, but despite all of this attention, he would remain in the Netherlands, continuing to hone his craft.
As per FBref, Bakayoko ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar in quality to the Eredivisie for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for pass completion, the top 1% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box per 90 and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.
Kulig seemingly can't get enough of this prospect's ability, also stating: "20 years of age. Such an electric player. Still very far from being a finished product but the potential is really high!"
Indeed, progressive, penetrative and creative, Bakayoko would bring so much quality to the Spurs frontline and could be the perfect counterweight for the relentless Dejan Kulusevski, who has also started to find success centrally, further opening up a dimension to Postecoglou's attack.
With Bryan Gil having featured across six of the past seven Premier League matches, it's clear that further improvements could be made to Tottenham's team, and Bakayoko would be the dream upgrade.
Gil has created just 0.3 key passes per game this season and doesn't appear to offer the physicality or decisiveness to succeed – and has failed to score across 37 matches and has been shipped out on loan since signing for Tottenham from Sevilla for £22m in 2021. It's clear that his time is up.
Should the north London outfit succeed in their pursuit after the new year, then Postecoglou would wield one of the most frightening offensive talents around, with more than a little likeness to one Bukayo Saka, who plies his trade down the road with Spurs neighbours Arsenal.
How Johan Bakayoko compares to Bukayo Saka
Saka has been a prominent name on the English football scene for a number of years now but has really blossomed into one of the Premier League's standout forwards over the past few years.
Aged just 22, Football Transfers lists the England international as the fourth most valuable attacking player on the planet – behind only Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and compatriot Harry Kane.
Having chalked up 201 appearances for the Gunners already, Saka has scored 46 goals and supplied 52 assists, praised for his ever-improving "ruthless" streak that has now placed him into "world-class" conversation by England manager Gareth Southgate.
This term, the £195k-per-week gem has already plundered eight goals and 12 assists for Mikel Arteta's side, boasting a supreme creative and tricky edge that Bakayoko is showing signs of replicating.
Saka ranks among the top 17% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for goals, the top 8% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 4% for touches in the attacking box per 90, highlighting a willingness to drive into the danger area and an aptitude to sink opponents when weaving into such positions.
Spurs have to complete a transfer for Bakayoko in 2024, especially with Gil flattering to deceive and crucially to prevent a Premier League rival from snapping up his signature.
Postecoglou's talent radar appears to be on the money, and with the kind of man management that the Australian could provide this hotshot, it's a deal that has to happen.
