Noel Whelan has urged Tottenham target Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to pick Everton over Spurs, in an exclusive with Football Insider.
Speaking exclusively to football writer Dylan Childs, the pundit claimed Hojbjerg could replace Toffees flop Morgan Schneiderlin. The Saints star recently revealed that he is looking for a move away from the south coast in the summer, as he wants to win the Premier League and play in the Champions League.
Sky Sports reported that Jose Mourinho identified Hojbjerg at the top of his list of transfer targets earlier this year. According to The Athletic, Tottenham face stiff competition from Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues.
When asked to give his opinion on where he thinks the midfielder will end up, Whelan said: “They are both desirable football clubs. Everton are very up and coming now. Ancelotti will have a full pre-season ahead of next year, so they will be exciting. Who does not want to work under him?”
“Everton would be a better option because there are players there such as Morgan Schneiderlin who will be moved on. He has not done enough and Ancelotti has had enough time to look at players now. He knows who he wants at the football club.”
It is difficult to disagree with the former Leeds forward on this one.
Ever since he arrived at the St Mary’s Stadium from Bayern Munich for £13.7m in 2016, the 24-year-old has played in 28 games for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this season, providing one assist, making 2.4 tackles per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions, and successfully completing 1.7 clearances on average (WhoScored).
While there is no doubt the Danish international is a talented player, he is largely unproven at the top level of the game. On the other hand, Tanguy Ndombele has shown glimpses of his overall quality, as he has made 19 appearances in the Premier League, scoring two goals, picking up two assists, registering 1.2 tackles on average, attempting 0.7 interceptions and taking just 0.5 shots per game so far (WhoScored).
Although the club’s record signing has struggled for consistency this season, the 23-year-old still created two assists in the Champions League, receiving a high statistical rating of 7.34 via WhoScored.
Recent reports suggest that Mourinho has put his faith in Ndombele and the club have no intention of selling the Frenchman in the transfer market. Furthermore, his experience in the European competition gives him a significant advantage over the Dane.
Therefore, it is unlikely Spurs would be able to guarantee Hojbjerg substantial game-time and a move to Goodison Park may be a better option for him.
Tottenham fans, do you think the club should sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg? Let us know down below!
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