Tottenham Hotspur have splashed the cash massively over the last couple of years, in an attempt to catapult themselves back up the Premier League table.
Since the summer of 2022, the Lilywhites have spent upwards of £700m alone, with the club often massively overspending on players who aren’t at the level required for success.
Their spending has no doubt aided their ability to end their 17-year wait for a trophy, with Ange Postecoglou securing the Europa League title in the 2024/25 campaign.
ange-postecoglou-tottenham-premier-league
However, the Aussie could only lead the side to a 17th-place finish in England’s top-flight, which resulted in him being handed his marching orders during the off-season.
The Lilywhites find themselves in a similar position during the current campaign, which has left various managers scrambling for solutions to their issues in the first team.
The stats behind Bissouma’s struggles at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2022, Spurs forked out a reported £25m for the signature of midfielder Yves Bissouma from Brighton & Hove Albion - with real promise expected after such an addition.
He would make a century of appearances during his first three seasons in North London, but not without controversy, after being provisionally banned by the club for being pictured inhaling laughing gas.
Bissouma-Spurs
However, despite not featuring in any first-team match until January, the 29-year-old has been reintegrated into the senior ranks - subsequently racking up six appearances in the league to date.
The Malian international was included in the starting eleven for the clash against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, but ultimately failed to deliver during the 4-1 defeat.
He featured for 90 minutes against their bitter rivals, but only managed to achieve 55 touches of the ball and only managed to register two passes into the final third.
Such figures showcase his lack of quality with the ball at his feet, with temporary boss Igor Tudor desperately needing a more progressive deep-lying option in his ranks.
The Spurs star who could end Bissouma’s time at the club
In an attempt to bolster the midfield department, the Spurs hierarchy decided to fork out £34m for the signature of Conor Gallagher from Spanish side Atlético Madrid.
Gallagher-Spurs
Such a move has allowed for an added option at the heart of the side, but the Englishman has ultimately failed to reach the levels many anticipated after such a big-money transfer.
He’s even partnered Bissouma at the heart of the side over the last couple of matches, with neither player able to catapult the side to a needed victory in the Premier League.
Tudor will no doubt have to find a winning formula in the weeks ahead to fend off any relegation threat, but such a situation could be tricky given the extensive injury list at present.
As a result, the manager could look to turn to options within the academy setup, with midfielder Rio Kyerematen more than deserving of an opportunity in the first-team setup.
Juventus coach Igor Tudor before the match
The 20-year-old has only been in North London for just shy of four years, after making the move from fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace back in 2022.
He’s spent the majority of the time at various levels of the academy, with the midfielder now racking up 70 appearances for the U21 side - the level at which he’s consistently featured in recent years.
Kyerematen, who’s already got a professional contract with the Lilywhites, has been in excellent form this campaign, with such numbers deserving of a senior call-up.
He’s featured in 13 games for the U21’s in the Premier League 2, subsequently notching seven goals and four assists - which highlights his incredible ability in the final third.
Most Goals and Assists - Spurs U21s (25/26)
Player
Luca Williams-Barnett
Rio Kyerematen
Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny
Tynan Thompson
Yusuf Akhamrich
Oliver Irow
Dante Cassanova
He’s also made 1.8 tackles and 2.9 ball recoveries per 90 this season, demonstrating his box-to-box nature and leading to one UEFA coach dubbing him as “absolutely special”.
Kyerematen’s talents in possession simply can’t be understated, with the youngster a constant source of quality within the youth setup in the last few months.
The younger has created 1.6 chances per 90 and completed 86% of the passes he’s attempted - which could make him the perfect option at both ends of the pitch for Tudor.
It would no doubt be a huge risk to throw a 20-year-old into a relegation battle, but Kyerematen’s inclusion could hand Tudor's side the fresh lease of life they need to secure survival.
Igor-Tudor-Spurs-Bissouma-Spence-Van-de-Ven
As for Bissouma, he’s unfortunately failed to hit the heights many expected in North London, with the manager having a huge call to make on the Malian’s future in the months ahead.
Any promotion of the academy star could push the former Brighton star closer to the exit door, with the club desperately needing a change in fortunes before the end of May.
Yves Bissouma for Tottenham Related
[He's as bad as Bissouma: Tudor must ditch Spurs flop who's now a "big problem"](https://www.footballfancast.com/as-bad-as-bissouma-tudor-must-ditch-spurs-flop-sarr/ "He's as bad as Bissouma: Tudor must ditch Spurs flop who's now a "big problem"")
Tottenham need to turn things around quickly as relegation concerns grow in the Premier League.