Why Kevin Mirallas Could Succeed at Tottenham

With the summer transfer window drawing near, Tottenham is being mentioned as a landing point for some of Europe’s on-the-move players. One of these names linked with Spurs has been Everton’s attacking midfielder Kevin Mirallas. According to ESPNFC, Mirallas told Everton’s official website that he is satisfied to continue playing for his current club: “I am confident here and very happy to play for Everton.” ESPNFC also notes that Mirallas has been “repeatedly linked with Tottenham in recent months.”

So, can Spurs fans take these rumors seriously that Mirallas could be joining Tottenham in the summer? I believe the answer is yes. Spurs certainly need help in their attacking midfield. Their only constant starter in their attacking band of three, Christian Eriksen, is sure to gain attention from some of Europe’s bigger clubs, whether in England or abroad. And while there is no reason to think chairman Daniel Levy and coach Mauricio Pochettino want to sell the Dane, if Manchester City or Real Madrid come in with a Godfather offer for Eriksen, Spurs management may have to accept. That could leave Spurs needing to fill their No. 10 attacker position as well as meet other attacking needs.

Then, of course, there are the two wing positions. One wing has been occupied by Mirallas’ compatriot Nacer Chadli, who has quietly put together a very productive season in lilywhite. But the other wing has been a state of constant flux. Both youth product Andros Townsend and record signing Erik Lamela have been disappointing this season, leaving the right wing free if someone could come in and produce on a consistent basis.

There is a lot of evidence that demonstrates that Mirallas can be that starter on the wing for Spurs. He has proven himself to be a quality player at Everton, producing 27 goals for the club in three seasons. He is a good crosser who would provide consistent service to Harry Kane in the box, and he is extremely technical, allowing him to combine with Eriksen and Chadli on the floor. He can even play centrally too, which gives Spurs a lot of versatility. One area which could hurt Mirallas at Spurs is on the defensive side. Mirallas is not known for his defensive work rate, and Pochettino requires his side to press intensely throughout the entire match.

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There is also a decent amount of evidence that Mirallas may be on the move. He has seemed unhappy at Everton in recent months, and with Everton lingering near the bottom of the table this campaign, Mirallas may want to leave in order to play for a better club. Mirallas also would probably fit Spurs’ price range. It would be unsurprising to see Mirallas leave for a fee of £15-£20 million, which Spurs could certainly afford. However, if a bigger club became attracted to the Belgian international, that price could certainly double, leaving Spurs with a much more difficult decision.

Of course, there is also the Belgian element to take into consideration. Spurs currently boast three Belgians playing in the first team: Chadli, midfielder Moussa Dembele, and center back Jan Vertonghen. The strong Belgian identity in the squad would certainly be appealing to Mirallas.

So, I think Mirallas is a definite possibility as a Spurs summer signing. He fits in at a position of need, will not be as expensive as the top-level players on the market, seems disgruntled at his current club, and would fit in well with the strong Belgian contingent already in place at White Hart Lane. Hopefully, Levy will be able to make this rumor a reality and bring in Mirallas to play for Spurs in the 2015-2016 campaign.