Five reasons Chadli is a good signing for Spurs

AVB has done well to secure the midfielder

Following Tottenham’s signing of 23 year old Belgian international winger Nacer Chadli from FC Twente for £7 million, we explore five reasons why Andres Villas-Boas and Franco Baldini made a terrific signing.

1

Spurs need a striker, but more importantly they need goals. It’s widely known that Spurs have been chasing after a striker to headline their scoring outfit and haven’t been able to lock one down yet. With failed attempts at David Villa, who landed with Atletico Madrid, and Christian Benteke, who surprisingly remained with Aston Villa, Spurs have been unable to woo a striker to play at White Hart Lane.

According to Sky Sports, Spurs are in talks with Valencia front man Roberto Soldado, but no deal has yet to be agreed upon. If they are unable to secure a big influence striker, they can at least rely on Chadli to help supply some scoring power for the club. Chadli scored 12 times in 15 appearances for FC Twente last season, meaning he can be a real threat on the pitch, especially when combined with the abilities of Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale.

2

Chadli may help to lure a striker to White Hart Lane. Since Tottenham are not in the Champions League this year, they need to utilize everything they have at their disposal to help bring top quality players to north London. Chadli is an impressive player and an excellent crosser. His ability to make daring runs with the ball and deliver it to the feet or head of a teammate is something a prolific goal scorer would love to have at his club.

3

He becomes the depth at winger Spurs drastically needed last season. Tottenham narrowly missed out on a Champions League berth last year, finishing only one point behind Arsenal in fifth position. There were stretches throughout the season when wingers Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon went down with injuries and Tottenham were forced to play Lewis Holtby, Clint Dempsey, and Gylfi Sigurdsson out wide in the absence of the two midfielders.

Chadli, a naturally right-footed player, is very versatile and can play on either wing, through the middle, or even up top in a pinch, helping to alleviate whatever injury problems Tottenham may run into in the midfield and attacking positions.

4

Spurs are getting younger and faster. Andres Villas-Boas is changing the way Spurs operate. When he makes a signing, it’s not just to fix an immediate need but to plan for the future, as we can see with summer signing Paulinho. Paulinho is a talented, versatile, fast, and strong midfielder who could be a regular fixture at Tottenham for years to come. We can assume that with Paulinho’s arrival, Tom Huddlestone and Scott Parker, both ageing defensive midfielders that are looking slower and less mobile by the year, may be on their way out, ushering in the new era of football at White Hart Lane.

Chadli fits into that mold perfectly. At 23 years old, he is young enough and quick enough to still have a very positive influence for years to come with Spurs.

5

He could be Gareth Bale’s eventual replacement. The rumors are flying that Bale may be leaving for Real Madrid. It may not be this year, next year, or ever, but a smart manager knows he needs to be ready in case he loses a key player like Bale. With reports now coming from talkSPORT that Bale will sign a new contract this year with Spurs but be able to leave next year for Real if he so chooses, having a backup in the wings may not be the worst idea.

Chadli, although he does not have the same skill level as Bale, can slot in nicely as the left winger or central attacking midfielder, a position we saw Bale gradually move into towards the end of last year’s campaign.

The downside to Chadli – he’s injury prone

The one negative regarding the attacking midfielder is his inability to remain on the field. Chadli has missed a large number of games over the past few seasons with FC Twente, which is something Spurs fans will have to keep their eyes on as the season progresses.

How do you think Chadli will fit in at Spurs? Will he have a good season? Have your say below!

Reader Comments

The below views are those of our readers and do not reflect the opinions of Premiership Talk or its employees.