DONE DEAL: The midfield maestro accepts Tottenham’s offer, giving the team a significant midfield boost for next season.
Tottenham Hotspur will benefit from the rescheduling of the nAfrica Cup of Nations next year, as their star midfield duo Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr won’t miss games due to national team duty during the Premier League season.
AFCON, traditionally held in January and February, will now take place at the end of the season, providing English clubs like Spurs with relief from the absence of key players during crucial fixtures.
Next year’s tournament will be hosted in Morocco, a decision that Football London reports will lead to a more relaxed summer for participants.
This rescheduling comes as a boost for Tottenham, who had to play without Bissouma and Sarr during this year’s AFCON in Ivory Coast. The midfielders represented Mali and Senegal, respectively.
Sarr’s Senegal suffered elimination in the Round of 16 after losing on penalties to the host nation, while Bissouma’s Mali progressed to the quarter-finals but lost in extra time to the eventual winners, Ivory Coast.
Spurs were not the only club affected by players’ absence due to the mid-season tournament. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, and Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny also missed their respective club’s fixtures due to their commitments.
With the AFCON now scheduled for the end of the season, Spurs and other English clubs can focus on their fixtures without the interruption of international duties.
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Tottenham star James Maddison recently returned to action from an ankle injury at the end of January.
Maddison’s absence was felt during his 11-game lay-off, given his stellar form at the beginning of the season, where he contributed significantly with three goals and six assists in his first ten league starts.
Since returning to action, Maddison has only managed to provide one assist in his last four games, which may be seen as below his usual standards. In a recent interview, he expressed his frustration with not performing up to his potential, even in games where his team secures victory.
In a recent interview, the attacking midfielder was asked what frustrates him the most, to which Maddison emphasised that not playing up to his potential is always a bad feeling.
He stated (via Last Word On Spurs):
“Playing poorly in a game. I could say losing but sometimes you can win, and be happy that you’ve won, but you’ve still played poorly and it will frustrate and annoy me that I haven’t played to the level that I know I can. I try not to have that very often!”
TBH Says:
Despite not making direct goal contributions in their recent appearances, Maddison still leads in some critical underlying metrics, as per Fbref.
This includes shot-creating actions per 90, goal-creating actions per 90, and assists per 90 in the Premier League this season.
Ange Postecoglou will be eager to see Maddison return to his best form as the club continues to push for a top-four finish in the league. Maddison’s creativity and influence in midfield will be crucial in Spurs’ quest for success this season.
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