Why Elif Elmas could be a brilliant signing for Tottenham in January
According to a report from Calciomercato, Tottenham Hotspur are battling with Lazio and Real Madrid for the signature of Fenerbahce starlet Elif Elmas.
Elif Elmas, 19, currently plies his trade in Turkey’s top-flight with Fenerbahce, where he is a regular starter under Ersun Yanal. He is deemed as one of the stars of the future and it won’t be an easy task for Tottenham to sign him as he is wanted by Real Madrid too.
Yet, Spurs should go all out to bring Elif Elmas to north London in January as he could be the ideal long-term replacement for Mousa Dembele.
Dembele, 31, joined Tottenham from Fulham in the summer of 2012 and he has gone on to establish himself as one of the club’s most important players in recent years. However, his contract is due to expire in the summer.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has fuelled the rumours by suggesting that the club would listen to offers for the Belgium international this month. Dembele is currently out injured and there is every chance now that Pochettino cashes in on the midfielder this month instead of losing him for free at the end of the season.
And Tottenham already have a like-to-like replacement lined up in Elif Elmas. The highly-rated Skopje-born midfielder has chalked up 9 goals and as many assists in 78 appearances, which are staggering numbers for a 19-year-old.
He has also represented his nation, Macedonia five times in his young career so far and has all the ingredients to become a world-beater in the coming years.
Elmas is known for his quality on the ball, incisive passing, vision and eye for goal. The teenager possesses superior technical qualities which allow him to keep exceptional close control in tight situations.
He likes to keep the ball at his feet, work those pockets of space in the final third and terrorise opposition defences with his clever movement off the ball.
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The addition of someone of Elmas’ talents would undoubtedly bolster Pochettino’s midfield options as the Macedonian can come in and help Spurs win a trophy this season.