Spurs eyeing £17m Hojbjerg replacement with incredible defensive numbers

Daniel Levy and Johan Lange have reportedly identified a cheap replacement for Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Spurs' over-reliance on Sarr and Bissouma

Although Tottenham Hotspur have managed to turn around their form thanks to the introduction of Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, there are still certain areas within the squad which could benefit from being upgraded.

For example, although Hojbjerg is still a Premier League standard midfielder, in regard to their 'Big Six' rivals such as Liverpool and Manchester City, he is worlds apart from the quality which those teams possess.

The Denmark international joined the club in 2020 from Southampton in what was reported to be a £15m deal. Since then, he has played a total of 174 times for the North London club and has involved himself with 26 goals across all competitions.

When both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr were called up to AFCON this winter, Hojbjerg was one of the few options available to Postecoglou due to Rodrigo Bentancur being sidelined through injury, and the side struggled without their star African duo.

When all of Tottenham's players are back in the fold, the 28-year-old Dane will likely be benched, and it feels as if the midfielder himself knows this, as he is reportedly looking to move elsewhere in search of game time. If he is to leave Spurs, this would leave Postecoglou with a major selection headache and even less depth in an already thin area of the squad.

The cheap Hojbjerg replacement Levy has lined up

It goes without saying that Spurs' defensive-midfielders could do with a bit of an upgrade, especially if Hojbjerg leaves this summer. Enter, Ismail Yuksek. Yuksek is 25-years-old and currently plys his trade for Fenerbache in the Turkish Super Lig.

This term alone, the Turkey international has played a total of 41 games and has managed to contribute to a total of six goals thus far. Although these attacking returns are more than decent for a 'number six' it is the defensive side of his game which makes the 25-year-old such an appealing prospect for Levy.

As per FBRef, the midfielder ranks extremely highly in the defensive department and would provide Spurs with some much-needed stability.

Ismail Yuksek's defensive stats

Per 90

Rank vs midfielders in similar leagues

Tackles

3.05

91st percentile

Interceptions

2.1

98th percentile

Blocks

1.91

96th percentile

Clearances

2.29

94th percentile

Aerials won

2.1

90th percentile

Data via FBRef

As per a report from Turkish Outlet TV100, Spurs 'want' to acquire Yuksek for a fee in the region of £17m, which, for a player of his calibre, could turn out to be a bargain deal.

Additionally, if Hojbjerg does leave the club in the summer, his outgoing transfer fee would more than likely be enough to cover the expense of bringing the Turkey international to London.