Yves Bissouma, a £35 million acquisition for Tottenham Hotspur, has come under scrutiny, with pundit John Wenham expressing disappointment over the player’s contributions since his arrival at the club. Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham suggested that Tottenham should have considered selling the Mali international during the summer transfer window and bringing in a replacement.
Tottenham’s Busy Summer Window
Tottenham had an active summer transfer window, securing several key signings, including a season-long loan extension for Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, the acquisition of striker Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, English midfield prodigy Archie Gray from Leeds United, and winger Wilson Odobert from Burnley. Additionally, the club invested in young talents like Lucas Bergvall and South Korean wonderkid Min-hyeok Yang.
Chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange were praised for their transfer business, particularly for offloading players considered surplus to requirements, such as Giovani Lo Celso, who returned to Real Betis. However, despite these successes, Wenham believes the club missed an opportunity to offload Bissouma.
Wenham’s Criticism of Bissouma
Bissouma, who joined Spurs from Brighton & Hove Albion two years ago, has struggled to replicate the form that made him a standout performer at his previous club. Wenham criticized Bissouma’s performance since his arrival, stating, “What has he done since joining the club? He has been quite underwhelming. We haven’t seen anything like the Bissouma we saw at Brighton who would run the show against us when he played.”
Wenham emphasized that Tottenham should have capitalized on any opportunity to replace Bissouma with a more consistent midfielder during the summer window, labeling the player’s overall contribution as “disappointing.” Despite making 57 appearances in all competitions since his arrival, Bissouma only recently scored his first goal for Tottenham in their 4-0 victory over Everton.
The Road Ahead for Bissouma
With the UK transfer window now closed, it is unlikely that Tottenham will part ways with Bissouma in the immediate future. However, with transfer windows still open in countries like Turkey, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia, there remains a possibility that other players could leave the club. For Bissouma, the focus will be on proving his worth to manager Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs faithful as the season progresses.
As Tottenham prepare for their upcoming fixtures, Bissouma will need to step up his game to avoid further criticism and secure his place in Postecoglou’s plans. The midfielder’s ability to return to the form he displayed at Brighton could be crucial for Spurs as they aim for a successful Premier League campaign.