Tottenham Hotspur are in the thick of a battle for Champions League qualification in the Premier League, with Ange Postecoglou seeking a positive finish to his first campaign in London.
After finishing eighth last season and resultingly losing Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, Spurs were in desperate need of a reset and the Australian has offered just that, placing the pillars of a new era despite much ebbing and flowing.
Several exciting signings have been made to shape the improving team, while one of Postecoglou’s first ports of call was to ship out deadwood such as Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez – also ridding his system of the out-of-favour Eric Dier last month – there are still players yet to be shipped on that very much look without a successful future down N17.
Spurs’ signing of Ryan Sessegnon
One player who is surely nearing the end of their Lilywhites career is Ryan Sessegnon, who has made one paltry appearance this season, against Burnley in the FA Cup, as he battles against ongoing fitness issues.
Signed from Fulham in a £25m package back in 2019 as a 19-year-old after dazzling in the second tier, posting 25 goals and 18 assists across 120 displays, there was much buzz surrounding then Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino’s new left-back, also capable as a winger.
Life on the major stage had such promise for this dynamic flanker and while Sessegnon is still only 23, he will need to get a grip on his fitness sooner rather than later to live up to the chatter when plying his trade for the Cottagers.
Ryan Sessegnon’s cost at Spurs so far
Sessegnon has completed 57 appearances for Tottenham, scoring three goals and providing four assists for his teammates, but there is no questioning the fact that he has fallen by the wayside after prodigious beginnings and, out of contract next summer, might be approaching the end of his time at the club.
While his injury issues are unfortunate, his time on the pitch has not exactly been paved in praise, with Tottenham expert Jon Wenham claiming that he looks like a “Championship player“.
When combining the player’s transfer fee with his wages earned throughout his time at Tottenham, it can be deduced that he has cost the club more than £39m, and counting.
To put that in perspective, popular footballing information site Transfermarkt records Sessegnon’s total minutes for the outfit at 3,391, meaning he has cost approximately £1m per 90 minutes. That… is grim reading.
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Ryan Sessegnon Spurs Salary vs Teammates |
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|---|---|
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Player |
Salary |
|
Ryan Sessegnon |
£55k-per-week |
|
Yves Bissouma |
£55k-per-week |
|
Micky van de Ven |
£55k-per-week |
|
Emerson Royal |
£40k-per-week |
|
Bryan Gil |
£40k-per-week |
|
Oliver Skipp |
£40k-per-week |
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Source: Capology |
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As the table shows, Sessegnon is on par with first-team stars such as Micky van de Ven and Yves Bissouma, while sitting comfortably above a host of players who compete in Postecoglou’s matchday plans with regularity.
The incessant injury troubles that have ravaged much of his career are unfortunate, but it’s reaching the point where chairman Daniel Levy must consider whether keeping him on the books is a good idea, with the new chapter at the club requiring a certain ruthlessness to catch up with the Arsenal’s, Manchester City’s and Liverpool’s of the Premier League.
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Ultimately, Sessegnon is still only 23 years old and has a real shot at returning to prominence, but he would be better placed doing so away from Tottenham, where he can move to a side with a greater chance of earning a prominent, regularly starting spot.