Tottenham Hotspur have already held talks with Borussia Monchengladbach regarding the potential transfer of Jonas Hofmann – according to a report on SportBild.
The north London giants are ready to make the German midfielder one of their highest earners and have, thus, made the first move to sign the Gladbach star.
It is believed that Mauricio Pochettino is keen to sign a midfielder in January after selling Mousa Dembele to the Chinese Premier League earlier this month but is Hofmann a viable option for the Argentine?
Jonas Hofmann: A smart choice by Pochettino
Hofmann has been a revelation under Dieter Hecking this season, with the midfielder, often being overlooked following his departure from Borussia Dortmund, enjoying a productive campaign.
He has already been involved in nine goals in just 13 matches despite struggling with injury during the end of the Hinrunde.
Hofmann is generally a wide midfielder but has been utilized in a more central role by Hecking this season, where he has emerged as a vital cog in Gladbach’s offensive build-up.
His combination with the likes of Thorgan Hazard and Alassane Plea has added another dimension to the Gladbach attack and that is rather evident considering the fact that he has averaged 1.7 key passes per game.
As far as his midfield duties are concerned, Hecking has mostly used a 4-1-2-3 formation, where the 26-year-old has thrived alongside either Florian Neuhaus or Christoph Kramer. Hofmann has an urgency in his game, which allows him to press the opposing ball carrier, with the midfielder already averaging an impressive 1.4 tackles per game.
This could be an ideal characteristic for Mauricio Pochettino, who could utilize Hofmann alongside Eric Dier in his preferred 4-2-3-1. Alternatively, he can also deploy Dier as the holding midfielder while Christian Eriksen and Hofmann could occupy the central midfield roles – ultimately giving the Argentine more flexibility in terms of his tactical choices in midfield.
The fact that both Eriksen and Hofmann are blessed with immense technical quality would bode well for the team as it will not only add more creative thrust in the middle but ease up Tottenham’s transition play, without being overreliant on the services of Eriksen, who has already emerged as a target for Real Madrid next summer.
Therefore, Hofmann is certainly a viable target for the Lilywhites but a lot will depend on how Pochettino plans to utilize the Gladbach star, who, without any defined role or support, often fails to make an impact in midfield.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored