The general consensus at Tottenham Hotspur heading into the last few weeks of Ange Postecoglou's first campaign at the helm speaks of promise and positivity, though there is uncertainty surrounding the prospect of Champions League qualification.
With Spurs sitting the previous Premier League match week out after their fixture with Manchester City was rescheduled given their opponents' participation in the FA Cup semi-finals, Aston Villa seized the initiative and won against Bournemouth to extend their lead in the top four to six points – Tottenham, however, hold two games in hand.
With the fixtures drawing to a close and Tottenham preparing to face the three teams fighting for the Premier League title, it's going to be an interesting battle for a place in Europe's elite club competition.
Not least because Destiny Udogie has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, having been so influential in his first season in England…
Why Destiny Udogie's injury is a massive blow
Spurs signed Udogie from Udinese for about £15m back in 2022 but loaned him straight back to the Italian club for the duration of the 2022/23 campaign, where he honed his craft and earned acclaim before linking up with Postecoglou's squad last summer.
As the north London outfit purred into life at the start of the campaign, Udogie quickly established himself as the unwavering starter at left-back, with journalist Hunter Godson even hailing his "sickeningly good" displays and proclaiming that he "gets into nearly every team in the world already."
He's barely stepped onto the major stage but he's already performing with seamless style in the English top flight, completing 28 matches this season, scoring two goals and adding three assists, completing 89% of his passes and averaging 2.4 tackles and clearances, six ball recoveries and 5.4 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.
As per FBref, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 6% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 15% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for interceptions per 90.
With such noteworthy technical ability and a melange of qualities across both defensive and attacking points, Udogie is one of the finest in the division and it's no wonder that no Tottenham teammate boasts a market valuation above his – according to CIES Football Observatory's player valuation model, the Italian is worth £69m, level with Dejan Kulusevski.
This is all of an illustration of why the £75k-per-week starlet is so important, and why his season-ending injury could be detrimental to the synergy and energy of Postecoglou's Champions League-chasing side.
This isn't the first time Udogie has fallen to the sideline this term, with his replacement last time, Ben Davies, possibly not the answer given his lack of mobility and progression.
Ben Davies' season in numbers
Davies has been something of a stalwart for Tottenham, chalking up 329 fixtures for the club, but he has been a utility option this season – albeit performing admirably in central defence throughout Spurs' injury crisis in November and December.
However, he last started in his natural wide position when Spurs lost to Wolves in February, and having completed an average of 0.2 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, he may not offer the robustness to keep the poise and potency that Postecoglou's set-up demands.
Micky van de Ven could also be an option out wide, as the analyst above states, but the Dutch defender's not accustomed to a full-back role and, while he is incredibly fast and athletic, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, fans have witnessed the issues that can arise when he is not in the starting line-up at centre-back.
While it would be something of a bold call, Postecoglou could opt down the less-trodden path and promote Charlie Sayers to the senior squad, with the academy phenom possessing all the tools to forge a name for himself in Udoige's place.
How Charlie Sayers could perform for Postecoglou
Tottenham insider John Wenham remarked that Sayers is "probably the best academy defender at the club", and having played a key role in Wayne Burnett's table-topping side's progress in the Premier League 2 this season, featuring 11 times, it's clear to see why.
Superhotspur's scouting profile of the 19-year-old highlights notable strengths in ball-playing and pace, with the kind of top-level athleticism needed to fill boots such as Udogie's.
Tottenham U21
26
1
1
Tottenham U18
13
2
0
Southend United
6
0
0
Tottenham YL
1
0
2
In the EFL Trophy this term, as per Sofascore, the young talent showcased the core qualities that have established him as one of Tottenham's most coveted prospects, averaging 1.3 key passes, two tackles and 7.3 ball recoveries per match across three fixtures, also completing 85% of his passes.
His rate of recovery is particularly eye-catching, speaking of his energy and eagerness to close down space and maintain high output – Udogie performs masterfully in this regard, whereas Davies, while a veteran, is averaging only 2.9 recoveries per match in the Premier League this season.
With an eye for goal too, there's no reason why Sayers can't develop into a rounded player to serve as Udogie's foil when regrettable scenarios such as his present conundrum surface.
Supporters need only hark back to the slump earlier in the campaign to serve as a poignant reminder of how this Postecoglou team can slump when knocked off balance.
Davies is not the answer at left-back, not with Spurs fighting for a place in the Champions League next season.
Ange could unleash Spurs star in brand new role to ease Udogie injury
Postecoglou has three different left-back options to choose from.
ByTom LeverApr 22, 2024