Why Leonardo Bittencourt Would Be A Great Squad Player For Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur is a team that is filled with young attacking talents up front. The likes of Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-Min are all players of great pedigree and possess the ability to change the game in an instant.
Over the past couple of years or so, they have been proving themselves and now look set to mount a serious title charge in the 2018-19 season.
However, to do so, they need to have a team with able back-ups. Look at every Premier League team that has won the league and they have had back-ups who were able to slot in and do the job when required.
The fabled Manchester United squad of 1999 had the likes of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who could impact a game from the bench and even deputise brilliantly during the absence of regular forwards Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.
The fact that both these players scored the decisive goals in that season’s Champions League final shows how important back-ups can be for a team.
Leonardo Bittencourt for Eriksen
One player who Pochettino should seriously consider as a back-up for his maestro in midfield, Christian Eriksen, is the 24-year-old Leonardo Bittencourt. The former German Under-21 player, who plays for FC Koln, could be a great addition to the Spurs midfield.
Koln have been relegated to the second division of German football and this could trigger a sale of their best players. Bittencourt will be desperate to appear in the top level again and a move to Tottenham could help him find his best form.
The German is capable of playing down the middle or on either flank and this could be ideal for Pochettino if Lamela isn’t able to come up with the goods when needed. Also, a sudden injury to Eriksen could jeopardise Spurs’ season and Bittencourt should be able to play the role of a perfect understudy.
Young and is still learning
While this season may not have panned out well for Bittencourt (two goals and three assists), he has shown glimpses of good form and ability. Pochettino is a manager who gets the best out of his young players and maybe Bittencourt needs this – a manager who can mould him and help him find his best form.
At the age of 24, Bittencourt is just starting to mature and could hit his peak at Tottenham. If he does go on to fulfil his massive potential, he could just end up playing an important role in orchestrating Spurs’ run to the top.