Pierre-Emile Højbjerg thread:

With Spurs announcing the signing of 25 year old Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, let’s take a look at what the tenacious defensive midfielder will bring to Mourinho’s Spurs side.

Højbjerg is likely to play as a 6 in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 for Spurs next season. He will likely play alongside Tanguy Ndombele and/or Giovani Lo Celso, meaning he will be heavily tasked with defensive duties.

In the 19/20 season, Spurs conceded 87 goals across 51 games in all competitions, equivalent to 1.71 goals conceded per game. A figure which is simply unacceptable for a side with high ambition. Additionally, Spurs conceded 11.8 shots per game.

The signing of a defensive midfielder was necessary for Spurs for the 20/21 season and Højbjerg may prove to be the perfect fit in the 6 role due to his defensive capabilities which he showcased in the past season for Southampton.

In the most recent season, Højbjerg made 33 appearances for the Saints, within this time he averaged 2.4 tackles per game, 1.4 intercepts, 1.5 clearance and 1.7 aerial duels won.

Højbjerg often relies on his great anticipation to win the ball back, along with his tackling ability. A huge benefit for Spurs will be his ability to anticipate and position himself correctly to stop the attack, particularly against counters.

Højbjerg’s defensive ability will be crucial for Spurs, particularly if he was to play alongside Ndombele due to Ndombele’s lack of defensive contribution. The signing of Højbjerg will likely allow Ndombele as well as Lo Celso more freedom to play their natural attacking game.

Rather than solely playing as a destroyer he is very capable with the ball at his feet as well and offers something when going forward. In fact, he has played as an attacking midfielder in his early career.

This past season, Højbjerg made 55.2 passes per game with a 78.1% success rate. Additionally he played 3.2 long balls per game as well as averaging 0.9 key passes per game. Impressive figures for a defensive midfielder playing for a mid-table Southampton side.

Alongside his obvious ability, Højbjerg also brings some much needed leadership to Spurs. Højbjerg captained Southampton until he made his desire to leave clear and has an attitude which Jose Mourinho will love, a player who fights to win each game.

Overall, for a reported fee of £15m the signing of Højbjerg makes perfect sense and is likely to significantly boost the midfield and aid in improving Spurs’ defensive performance next season. He’s a much needed link alongside the offensive minded players in Ndombele & Lo Celso.