Worse than Bissouma: Ange’s worst signing must never play for Spurs again

Roberto De Zerbi has had the exact impact that Tottenham Hotspur were hoping for when they brought him in to replace Igor Tudor during the international break.

The Italian head coach has picked up seven points from his first four Premier League matches in charge of the Lilywhites, winning his last two games against Aston Villa and Wolves.

Prior to his appointment, Spurs had only racked up five points in 13 games in the top-flight under Tudor and Thomas Frank combined, which left the club in the relegation zone.

De Zerbi’s arrival has revived some Tottenham players who looked to be on their way out under the previous managers, with Joao Palhinha and Conor Gallagher, who scored, impressing against Villa last time out.

However, there is only so much that a manager can do and one player who must still be let go this summer is central midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Why Spurs need to cash in on Yves Bissouma

The Mali international, who joined from Brighton for £25m in the summer of 2022, is set to be a free agent when his contract expires at the end of June.

However, Spurs have an option to extend his deal by a further 12 months and they should activate that so that they can cash in on him during the summer transfer window.

Instead of allowing him to leave on a free transfer, the Lilywhites could recoup some money for his services if there are any teams willing to sign him this summer.

In his two starts for De Zerbi against Brighton and Wolves recently, Bissouma was taken off around the hour-mark after underwhelming performances, in which he offered little more than reliable passing.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has only started seven games in the Premier League this season, has failed to prove that he has what it takes to be part of the long-term project, which is why he should be sold.

Bissouma, though, is not the only player in the squad who should be allowed to move on from North London when the summer transfer window opens for business next month.

Worse than Yves Bissouma: Spurs player must never start for Roberto De Zerbi

Despite being available for all four matches, central defender Radu Dragusin has only played eight minutes of football for the Italian head coach in the Premier League, coming on for the end of the 1-0 win over Wolves.

Ange Postecoglou signed the centre-back from Genoa for a fee of £25m in January 2024 and, looking back, he may have been the Australian coach’s worst signing at Spurs.

At the time of his move to Tottenham, Dragusin ranked in the bottom 35% of Serie A centre-backs for progressive passes (1.61) per 90, which suggested that he would not be suited to playing out from the back effectively in a Postecoglou team.

Since the start of last season, the Romanian centre-back has averaged a ball-playing error that has led to a shot or goal for the opposition every 2.7 starts in the Premier League, illuminating his struggles when passing out under pressure.

Dragusin does not look comfortable enough with the ball at his feet to play in a progressive team, hence why he looked out of place under Postecoglou and possibly why De Zerbi is yet to hand him a start.

Therefore, the 24-year-old defender should be allowed to leave at the end of the season because he does not look suited to the task at hand, which is also why he was Postecoglou’s worst signing, because it was a move that did not make sense at the time and has not worked out.

He is even worse than Bissouma, who has at least racked up 111 appearances for Spurs and played the full 90 against Man United in the Europa League final, and should be sold this summer.

Dragusin has done little to show that he has a future in North London, with five starts in the Premier League this season, and he should leave without ever starting a game for De Zerbi before the end of the season.