• Skip to main content
bwin news
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Accumulators
    • Champions League
    • Europa League
    • Transfer betting odds and news
    • Championship
    • FA Cup
    • EFL Cup
    • Bundesliga
    • La Liga
    • Serie A
    • International football
    • Interviews
  • Horse Racing
  • Tennis
  • Other Sports
    • NBA
    • Boxing
    • Cricket
    • Golf
    • Rugby
    • F1
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Esports
    • UFC
    • Snooker
    • Cycling
    • MotoGP
  • Insights
    • Infographics
    • Novelty Bets
    • Politics
  • Sports Betting
    • Football betting
    • Tennis betting
    • Live betting
    • Promotions
£20 Backup Bet!Log in
Sport prediction » Football » Leagues » Premier League » Spurs overlook best holding-midfield option in pursuit of Southampton star

Spurs overlook best holding-midfield option in pursuit of Southampton star

James Middleton | 18.06.2016
1 Your selection
2 Start Playing
Register, deposit £10 or more and place a Sport bet (3+ selections) up to £20, each with odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater.
3 Get your FreeBet
If it’s not a winning bet, you’ll get up to £20 back as a FreeBet. T&Cs apply
Bet now! Log in
X

Tottenham Hotspur are poised to complete their first signing of the summer after striking an £11m deal with Southampton for Kenyan destroyer Victor Wanyama.

Mauricio Pochettino has sought to sign the Saints star since taking over at White Hart Lane and, with the former Celtic midfielder having just a year left on his contract, the north Londoners have been able to negotiate a reasonable price for his services.

Increasing competition to Eric Dier at the base of Spurs’ midfield is clearly a priority for Pochettino as he prepares to embark on his first campaign as a Champions League manager, but has his Wanyama obsession caused him to miss the most underappreciated midfielder in the 2015/16 Premier League?

With stats to rival Leicester City’s N’Golo Kante, Idrissa Gueye rarely received the praise his performances warranted last time around, no doubt thanks to fact he represented the hapless Aston Villa.

The Villans’ relegation to the Championship leaves it safe to assume Gueye would be the cheaper alternative, however, there’s a strong case to make as to why he’d not only be a more budget-friendly, but superior signing to the Southampton colossus.

For a start, various spates of ill-discipline led to Wanyama collecting three Premier League red cards last time around; Gueye was never red carded, despite being booked ten times compared to his Kenyan counterpart’s four. It suggests he boasts greater self-control and ability to adapt his game to specific situations.

On top of that, Gueye outstripped Wanyama in a host of fields that define a holding midfielder’s worth.

The emergence of Idrissa Gueye is arguably the only high point in a catastrophic Aston Villa campaign
The emergence of Idrissa Gueye is arguably the only high point in a catastrophic Aston Villa campaign

He recovered possession a staggering 344 times (a Premier League high) and with 141 interceptions, he cut out more than double the number of opposition passes Wanyama (69) managed.

Gueye won 108 tackles compared to the Southampton giant’s 71 (61.4% to 55%) and was more successful in aerial duels too, with his 54.4% besting the 48.9% of his African adversary.

Stats from last season show the Frenchman is stronger without the ball and they leave little room for debate about who’s better with it too.

In total, 85.6% of his passes found their mark (Wanyama trails on 82.4%), while his 327 completed in the final third dwarves the 122 mustered by his contemporary.

Furthermore, he created 29 chances last term next to the Saints’ ace’s 15 and received the ball from teammates on 1,498 instances compared to 1,055.

The numbers suggest those prepared to spend big on a new defensive screen this summer can’t allow Villa’s diabolical campaign to deter them from buying one of the best around, as Spurs evidently have.

A price of 8/1 says a potentially Wanyama-aided Spurs win the 2016/17 Premier League.

  •  
  •  
One to sign, one to sell and one to keep for Sunderland this summer
This year’s oldest-ever X Factor panel are still socially relevant
Author

James Middleton

Having contributed to a variety of sports betting-based journalistic mediums, James joined the bwin fraternity in early 2014. He is an avid Middlesbrough Football Club fan who frequently foresees defeats for both Newcastle and Sunderland while, in spite of his age, he remains an unashamed follower of wrestling results.

Related posts

Tony Kelshaw 26.01.2021
Brighton vs Fulham: Albion and Cottagers hard to split again
Tony Kelshaw 26.01.2021
Premier League predictions: Five top tips for Wednesday acca
Tony Kelshaw 26.01.2021
Tottenham vs Liverpool: Spurs value to end Reds hoodoo

Security & Trust

Sports
  • Sports betting
  • Live betting
  • Football betting
  • Premier League betting
  • Champions League betting
  • Tennis betting
Corporate Links
  • About us
  • Affiliate program
  • Entain
  • Investor Relations
  • Press Events
About Us
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • User Policy
  • General Terms and Conditions
  • Imprint
  • bwin news
  • Our editors
  • Sponsorships
  • Betting guide



18+!© 2021 ElectraWorks Limited Suite 6, Atlantic Suites, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar

ElectraWorks Limited, the provider of this website, is licensed by the Government of Gibraltar and regulated by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner under the Gambling Act 2005. ElectraWorks Limited has been granted a fixed-odds licence (RGL No. 051) and casino licence (RGL N0. 50) for the operation of remote gambling.

Furthermore, ElectraWorks Limited is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission under the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014. ElectraWorks Limited has been granted License No. 000-039011-R-319371-001 for the operation of remote gambling in Britain.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok