It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Tottenham have been wildly unpredictable under Antonio Conte. However, Dejan Kulusevski has remained consistent since his January loan switch from Juventus.
Despite the team’s hit-and-miss form in recent months, Kulusevski has settled quickly at Spurs – so much so that he has become one of their most important players.
What an impact this man has made in the Premier League 👏 📊 @KumhoTyreUK pic.twitter.com/0Iirh3sG3a— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 2, 2022
What an impact this man has made in the Premier League 👏 📊 @KumhoTyreUK pic.twitter.com/0Iirh3sG3a
Of course, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min invariably grab the bulk of the headlines. But Kulusevski has proved that he is also capable of providing goals and assists on a regular basis.
The 22-year-old Sweden international has racked up three goals and eight assists in 14 Premier League appearances since making his debut against Southampton back in February.
In only his third appearance for Tottenham, he endeared himself to the club’s supporters by bagging a goal and an assist in a memorable 3-2 victory over Manchester City.
Since then, Kulusevski has scored against Leeds United and Aston Villa. He also provided two assists against Everton and Leicester City, highlighting his creativity.
During the first half of the season, the winger made just five starts and 15 substitute appearances for Juventus in Serie A. However, he only managed to contribute one goals and three assists.
When you look at the bigger picture, he has registered nine goals and ten assists in 74 games for the Italian club.
Having chalked up 19 goal involvements in 74 games, averages only 0.26 goal involvements per game for Juventus. By contrast, he averages 0.79 goal involvements per game for Spurs in the Premier League.
Yes, that is a smaller sample size to analyse. But if the early stages of his Tottenham career are anything to go by, Kulusevski appears to be better suited to the English game.
Naturally, Juventus may be planning to recall Kulusevski after seeing him unlock his potential in the Premier League. But they could also be looking to make a profit on the player.
If Juventus do decide to sell him at the end of the season, a permanent transfer to Spurs would surely be the best possible move for all parties.
It’s fair to say that Kulusevski has exceeded all expectations at Tottenham. If Juventus are willing to let him leave, Spurs should do everything they can to sign him on a permanent deal.