da betcris： Tottenham have lit the fires of this summer’s transfer window in England with one of the best deals so far. Sure, there isn’t much of a comparison in terms of spend to what Manchester City paid for Fernandinho, but the former Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder’s compatriot could be viewed as the better deal of the two, with Spurs more than getting their money’s worth for Paulinho.
da roleta： We’ve been over this before with Andre Villas-Boas and his preference for a three-man midfield, and despite failing to secure Joao Moutinho either last summer or this year, the Tottenham boss will be more than happy with a midfield that is shaping up to be one of the best in the Premier League.
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The trio of Paulinho, Sandro and Mousa Dembele is one which combines, power, drive, a degree of creativity, and a near-impenetrable shield ahead of the back four. It’s sometimes overlooked but Spurs could have Brazil’s World Cup midfield pairing, although Luiz Gustavo will have something to say about that.
It’s an enormous surprise that no other team in the Premier League even appeared to be in the hunt for Paulinho. Manchester United could certainly have done with his services, while the Brazilian is an obvious upgrade on John Obi Mikel in the Chelsea midfield. Fernandinho caught plenty of attention during last season’s Champions League, but how much will Manchester City rue the choice of taking him over Paulinho? (Perhaps not too much if Fernandinho makes a smooth transition; they’re not struggling for cash.)
A point worth considering, however, is how much this will impact the other midfield names at Tottenham. Lewis Holtby was brought in last January as a player who is best suited to the position behind the striker. Over the long term, the German could end up further back in the midfield and add even more creativity among the two Brazilians. Yet that may take some time and the drawback to any of this will be in allowing Holtby to adapt to a slightly altered position on the pitch. The team’s need for pace on the flanks would negate his need in either of the wide positions over the traditional options available to Villas-Boas. Much of the same can be said for Gylfi Sigurdsson, who is also best played in an advanced midfield role.
For Tottenham as whole, though, this should be viewed as another outstanding acquisition, and one that more that affirms the club’s status and ability in European and world football.
The additions of Hugo Lloris and Jan Vertonghen will do a lot for Tottenham’s ambitions moving forward, as both players are more than capable of turning out for some of the biggest and best teams in Europe. The signing of Paulinho shows that last summer’s business was no fluke, and although it may have been difficult for some Spurs fans to see the merits of Dembele and Lloris in particular last summer, it just adds to the growing reputation and ability of the club, both on the pitch and off.
In terms of what Tottenham are capable of next season, the addition of Paulinho will help to make up plenty of ground as they chase a top four spot. For those who caught some of the Brazilian’s performances at the Confederations Cup, there were obvious flashes of brilliance. He will be an asset at both ends of the pitch for Tottenham.
On the transfer front for the remainder of this summer, the capture of the Brazilian will just act as a signal to some of Europe’s very best who are yet to decide on a possible offer from Tottenham. That includes a couple of strikers from La Liga.
How important will the signing of Paulinho prove to be for Spurs?
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