Transfer would be a real win for Tottenham Hotspur at rumored cost

A recent report from the Athletic suggests that Tottenham could finally be in for long-time target RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer for just €17.5 million.

Sabitzer would be a bargain for Tottenham

At 27, Sabitzer would not be purchased for his resale value, rather, he would be coming as part of an effort to win now. Valued at $46.2 million (£32.7 million) on transfermarkt.com, getting Sabitzer at such a cut-price would be a piece of brilliant business.

Given he is in the final year of his contract, a price well below market value is expected. However, just $21.3 million (£15.1 million) almost seems too good to be true.

More importantly, beyond being a good value, Sabitzer is an excellent footballer. The captain of both Austria and RB Leipzig, Sabitzer is a leader on and off the field. With 52 goals and 42 assists in 227 games for RB Leipzig, he can score and assist in almost equal measure.

Scoring nine goals and adding seven assists in 39 appearances, his overall statistics took a hit in 2020-2021. Those numbers pale in comparison to his breakthrough season in Austria for RB Salzburg when he scored 27 goals and added 12 assists.

What we need to remember, however, is that Sabitzer’s role changed significantly this past season. Prior to last season, Sabitzer often lined up on the right-wing or in a deeper midfield role. In 2019/20, playing out wide and deep more often, Sabitzer shined by scoring 16 goals and adding 11 assists in all competitions.

Sabitzer’s biggest impact would be on the wing for Tottenham

Sabitzer would not finally replace the long-gone Christian Eriksen. As was witnessed the last two seasons in Leipzig, Sabitzer thrives most when he has some room to attack from the byline or a deeper midfield position. Sabitzer is not going to be the orchestrator of the attack the way Eriksen was or Kevin De Bruyne is for Manchester City.

Instead, we need to think of Sabitzer as more like our next Gareth Bale. While Sabitzer may not have the flash or sizzle of Bale in his prime, he has more to offer on the right-wing than the Welshman currently does. Sabitzer would cost less and provide more in the long term. That’s a winning formula.

The idea of Sabitzer lining up on the right as one of the runners going past Harry Kane sounds attractive. At such a potentially cut-rate price, the only thing left to say is to get it done, though I am not sure who exactly to say that too.