Home » Article » Who Is This €7m German Sensation That Tottenham Are Trying To Sign – Everything You Need To Know

Who Is This €7m German Sensation That Tottenham Are Trying To Sign – Everything You Need To Know

Maximilian Philipp
Maximilian Philipp

Scout Report – Maximilian Philipp

Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the German transfer market to add some depth to their attacking options in the summer, ahead of the upcoming season. And as per reports from Kicker (h/t Talksport) the North Londoners have identified SC Freiburg’s Maximilian Philipp as a potential target. He is rated at around €7million.

The 23-year old Philipp, who can play anywhere in attack, has scored 9 goals and has set up 5 in 26 games across all competitions for the German outfit and manager Mauricio Pochettino sees him as a good addition considering his age and versatility.

Amidst this interest from the Premier League runners-up, let’s take a look at who Maximilian Philipp is and what he will be able to add to the team in case he joins;

Footballing Background

Born in Berlin, on 1st March 1994, Philipp’s footballing journey began with local club Hertha BSC academy, before he moved on to join Tennis Borussia Berlin academy in 2008. He was promoted to the U-17 side a year after he joined them. Philipp impressed heavily in his second season with the U-17 side, scoring 13 goals from 20 games, but moved to FC Energie Cottbus for free in the summer of 2011.

It was at Cottbus that he really started to flourish as he scored 15 goals for their U-19 team in his first season and managed 8 more from 6 games in his second season, before Freiburg snapped him in January 2013 on a free transfer. The young starlet managed 3 goals and 4 assists for his new team by the end of the season and was promoted to the Freiburg second team in the following year.

An excellent season with Freiburg II (U-23 side) where he scored 12 times and registered 13 assists saw him earn a call-up to the senior team for a substitute appearance against VfB Stuttgart in April. Philipp became a first team regular from the 2014/15 campaign but failed to hit the heights that he did, in his first full campaign with the senior team as he managed just a goal and 5 assists in 27 games as Freiburg were relegated to the Bundesliga2.

Maximilian Philipp is a Tottenham target

The following season, he was able to make a significant improvement on his returns as he found the back of the net 8 times and set up 11 goals in the Bundesliga2, playing a huge role in helping his team earn a promotion back to the top division. This season has been at his best for Freiburg in terms of goals scored and as a result, he has attracted interest from Tottenham.

Style of Play

A versatile customer, Philipp can play any role in the attacking third. He has played mainly as a centre-forward or an auxiliary striker this season but can easily slot in on the wings or in a No.10 role as well.

Throughout his career with the various youth teams and now with Freiburg, what has caught the eye is his energetic burst of pace and his physical strength with which he rushes past defenders. Another strong aspect of his game is that he is always on the prowl to break into the penalty box from wider or deeper areas – much like what Dele Alli does for Tottenham. A good dribbler at pace, Philipp is also a confident player who backs himself to hit the target from distance.

What Does The Future Hold?

While interest from Tottenham does bode well for the player, it is unlikely that he will be a regular for the North Londoners, with the array of attacking talent available at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal. At best, Philipp will be a back-up to Dele Alli, playing in the hole behind the striker. While he has the talent to become a star, it probably wouldn’t serve his best interests moving to a club where he will be a mere rotation option.

Comments are closed.