Tottenham Hotspur's business during the January transfer window may not be over as they still have a week left to add more quality to their playing squad.
Ange Postecoglou was backed last summer with the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Manor Solomon, and Guglielmo Vicario, among others, coming through the door.
Daniel Levy has delivered once again this month with the signings of Timo Werner, on loan from RB Leipzig, and centre-back Radu Dragusin, on a permanent switch from Genoa.
Minutes played
80
Shots
Five
Key passes
One
Assists
One
Pass accuracy
91%
The Australian head coach could now bolster his squad with the addition of another central midfielder to compete with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Ollie Skipp.
Tottenham's search for a new midfielder
Tottenham are reportedly looking at a possible deal to sign Atalanta star Ederson to compete in their engine room during the second half of the campaign.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the club are one of a number of teams "scouting" the impressive whiz.
The reporter claims that Serie A giants Juventus also have an eye on the young dynamo and 'like' him, whilst the other interested teams remain unnamed by the journalist, although he adds that sides from England, Italy, and Spain are watching Ederson.
Unfortunately for Juventus and Spurs, Romano states that Atalanta do not want to cash in on the talented enforcer this month and that a summer move away from the Italian side is more likely at this moment in time.
However, Sport – as relayed by Football365 – reported that it would take a fee of £35m to tempt the Serie A outfit into a sale, amid interest from Barcelona and Manchester United at the time.
GIVEMESPORT claim – at the top of their interview with Romano – that Ederson is one of Tottenham's priority targets alongside Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has been touted with a move across London.
Football Insider reported earlier this month that talks between the two clubs collapsed as the Blues decided that they want to keep hold of their captain.
The outlet claimed that his long-term future at Stamford Bridge remains up in the air and Spurs are considering a swoop to land his services in the summer transfer window.
It stated that the club are prioritising the signing of a central midfielder and Postecoglou could land a better option than Gallagher by securing a move for Ederson.
The Brazilian ace, if they sign him this month or in the summer, could alleviate the need to splash the cash on a controversial – given he would arrive from one of Tottenham's local rivals – transfer for the England international.
Conor Gallagher's impressive Premier League displays
Spurs may be interested in the 23-year-old midfielder because of his impressive displays in the Premier League for Chelsea since the start of last season.
The English gem has caught the eye with his all-round performances in the middle of the park and FBref, interestingly, lists Ederson – alongside the likes of Gavi and Alexis Mac Allister – as one of the most similar players to Gallagher over the last 365 days of action in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions.
In that time period, the Chelsea skipper ranks within the top 21% of midfielders for tackles (2.62) and interceptions (1.38) per 90 respectively, and the top 4% for blocks (1.95) per 90.
Appearances
20
Goals
Zero
Big chances created
Six
Ball recoveries per game
6.9
Duel success rate
53%
These statistics show that the young midfielder loves to put a challenge in and is able to win possession back for his side by cutting out opposition attacks with vital defensive contributions at an impressive rate.
Gallagher also has the quality in possession to make things tick for Chelsea. Over the last 365 days, he ranks within the top 30% of midfielders in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes (5.92) per 90 and the top 22% for progressive carries (2.09) per 90.
The stats that show why Ederson could be better than Gallagher
Postecoglou could land a better version of the Cobham academy product by signing Ederson, who could bring similar attributes but with more quality.
In the Serie A this season, the 24-year-old battler has showcased his ability as a defensive and progressive presence in the middle of the park for Atalanta.
He ranks within the top 12% of Serie A midfielders for tackles (2.71) and interceptions (1.46) per 90 this term, whilst also being within the top 25% for blocks (1.46) per 90.
As you can see in the chart above, Ederson ranks highly in a host of key defensive statistics, which suggests that he has been a solid operator at the base of his team's midfield to stem the flow of opposition attacks with tackles, interceptions, aerial battles won, and very few errors.
He has also won 59% of his duels in the Serie A, which shows that he has been dominant in physical battles, whilst the former Crystal Palace loanee has won 53% of his and has not been as strong in 50/50 contests.
Like Gallagher, the Brazilian talent is able to mix his impressive defending with progressive play in possession of the ball to find his teammates in dangerous positions.
Ederson ranks within the top 8% of Serie A midfielders for progressive passes with 6.71 – 0.79 more than Gallagher – per 90 this season, which shows that he has been outstanding when it comes to breaking lines and progressing the ball forward to build up attacks for his team.
The Spurs target, who was hailed as "fun" to watch by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has also provided a goal threat from midfield with five goals in 20 league outings this term.
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Whereas, Gallagher has not found the back of the net for Chelsea in the Premier League this season, which suggests that the Atalanta star could offer more than him in the final third as a scorer for the club.
These statistics suggest that Ederson could be a better signing for Spurs than the England international as they both offer defensive strength and progressive passing but the 24-year-old ace can also be a match-winner with his knack for scoring goals.
