Tottenham intent on keeping influential loanee at club permanently

According to Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham will trigger the £26 million option to sign Dejan Kulusevski permanently.

Last season Kulusevski, who joined from Juventus in January, took the Premier League by lightning bolt, becoming one of Tottenham’s most influential attacking players. His pace, strength, tenacity, work rate, and lethal left foot immediately endeared him to supporters.

He also produced an outstanding offensive return, scoring five and setting up eight in just 18 appearances.

Akin to everyone aside from Harry Kane, Kulu’s offensive production plummeted in the recent campaign. He scored two goals and eight assists in stark contrast to his successful first-half season in north London.

While Kulu’s 2022-23 numbers and form are reasons for concern, the Swede is capable of dominating at an elite level.

The main difference between last season and his first on Hotspur Way boils down to rhythm and confidence.

Like most first-team players, his confidence was almost completely depleted, leading to a consistent level of insipid, lackluster play.

However, Kulu is clearly good enough to warrant the £26 million purchase amount. If he lives up to expectations, he’ll be worth bundles more after a solid campaign. No deal has yet been agreed, but Kilpatrick is confident it will be done soon.

It doesn’t appear that Kulu is basing his decision on whether to stay on who is appointed as the next Spurs manager. While it’s an incredibly important appointment, Kulu raves about his time at Spurs and his relationship with supporters.

He doesn’t want to go anywhere, and I hope I speak for every supporter in saying he belongs in north London. So let’s see what he can accomplish under the tutelage of a manager who prioritizes enterprising, free-flowing football.

That statement, of course, is predicated on Levy living up to his word of signing an attacking-minded coach. And we all know how seldom that occurs.