Why Tottenham Need to Capitalise on PSG's Mass Exodus This Summer

Err...it's been a hectic summer in Paris.

After Les Parisiens secured their seventh Ligue 1 title in eight years following the league's cancellation in April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been a pretty busy 'off season' – if you will – for Leonardo and co.

First, the Brazilian sporting director announced that club stalwarts Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva would leave the club when their contracts end this summer, while Bayern Munich appear to have won the Tanguy Kouassi sweepstakes after the mightily talented 18-year-old opted against signing a professional contract at the Parc des Princes.

The similarly gifted Adil Aouchiche is another who looks poised to depart the French capital after the club failed to wrap a new deal for the crafty midfielder, while Thomas Meunier's departure this summer appears inevitable.

And, of course, rumours surrounding Neymar's potential return to Barcelona fail to drift away.

So, who could possibly take advantage of what can only be described as a mass exodus at PSG this summer? Well, a whole host of clubs, but Spurs stand out as a side who could be particular beneficiaries.

While it's a shame the Lilywhites failed to hold any sort of interest in Kouassi and are unlikely to pursue a move for Aouchiche, Jose Mourinho will be licking his lips at the prospect of adding a couple of old-timers to his talented Spurs squad.

Given the limited funds Mourinho's expected to have at his disposal this summer, astute bits of business for minimal fees will be the priority. While there will be concerns about wage demands, it makes total sense for Spurs to pursue both Silva and Cavani.

In terms of areas of need; centre-back and striker are probably third and fourth on the Lilywhites' list of priorities in the transfer market, behind, of course, defensive midfield and right-back.

There's no doubting 35-year-old Silva can still play at the highest level, perhaps not consistently in a 38-game Premier League campaign, but he nonetheless represents an upgrade over Mourinho's current defensive options.

Toby Alderweireld, Spurs' most reliable centre-back, has shown signs of decline since penning a new three-year deal back in December, while Davinson Sanchez, their most talented centre-back, continues to be inconsistent amid brilliant moments and performances.

Eric Dier showed promise - costly error aside - at the heart of defence in Spurs' return to Premier League action against Manchester United on Friday night. It's the position at which he believes his future lies, and it was his finest showing for a long time.

That definitely shouldn't turn off Mourinho from adding another much-needed centre-half to the Lilywhites' ranks.

Silva, now 35 years old, has appeared 30 times for PSG in all competitions this term. The Brazilian's continued to shine alongside Presnel Kimpembe; persistently showing off his commanding presence in Thomas Tuchel's high defensive line and ability to drive raking vertical passes through opposition lines.

Silva's intelligence, astute positioning and supreme game-reading skills mean he's less reliant on his declining physical attributes, while he still possesses one of the most graceful tackling techniques the game has to offer.

Cavani's demise, meanwhile, has been less subtle. PSG's record goalscorer has played just over 1,000 minutes in all competitions this term, scoring seven times.

He's certainly not as clinical as he was during his heyday, with the Uruguayan boasting a 0.53 goal per game ratio despite his xG per game standing at 0.83, and his speed, agility and sharpness in possession have all dwindled over the past couple of years.

Nevertheless, the 33-year-old's defensive output is still mightily impressive and something Mourinho admires, while he also has a 0.21 xGChain in counter-attacks per game - a figure which is one of the highest in Ligue 1 and shows the attacking value Cavani provides on the counter.

We've seen how much Mourinho has emphasised on attacking transition since his November arrival, right? Cavani might be the perfect number two - providing he's happy to play second fiddle - for Harry Kane, while the Portuguese boss can continue to utilise the likes of Son Heung-min as the front man when needed.

But one thing's for sure, the workload on Kane simply has to be reduced if you want to get the best out of him and save his poor old ankles.

For both Silva and Cavani - who both recently rejected short-term extensions at PSG - a fat wad of cash over in MLS may be their favoured choice, but wouldn't it be great to be part of a pretty exciting project in a shiny new stadium and playing under one of the greatest managers to ever do it?

As for Meunier, he's a player who's already been linked with move to north London this summer. While from a talent perspective he may not represent a monumental upgrade on Serge Aurier, the Belgian could be a great fit systematically at Mourinho's Spurs.

The Portuguese boss' 3-2-5 attacking setup sees the right-back join the front line as the fifth attacker - ideally to create a five-v-four overload against the defence - with much of Spurs' play focused down this right flank either via long balls or as a result of overloading the left flank before exposing the 'weaker side' of the defence.

And while Aurier has persistently found himself in dangerous positions in the final third, a combination of rash decision-making and poor technique have prevented the Ivorian from putting up more than his five Premier League goal contributions this term.

The 28-year-old's consistency - he averaged six goal contributions per season before this season - and natural attacking instincts should see him thrive in Aurier's role.

While capitalising on PSG's summer exodus will certainly be the opposite of the youth revolution Spurs fans would love to see; the addition of Meunier – but especially Cavani and Silva – will provide more than mere talent on the field.

The pair of South Americans have accumulated 33 major honours since their respective moves to the French capital - that's just three fewer the current Spurs squad combined - with Aurier (eight major club honours), Lucas Moura (12) and Giovani Lo Celso (four) being major beneficiaries of PSG's monopolisation of French football over the past decade.

Daniel Levy has got the ideal manager to instil a winning mentality in N17, but the 'Special One' could do with a couple of serial winners to boost Tottenham's chances of silverware during what's set to be a rollercoaster of a tenure.

Source : 90min