Tottenham Hotspur to rival Manchester United for Dutch star: A good fit under Poch

Manchester United face competition from Tottenham Hotspur in the pursuit of Steven Bergwijn, it has been claimed.

The Lilywhites are keen to add to their attacking options after being dealt with a host of injuries this month, and have, thus, joined the race for the services of the PSV star, as per reports The Sun.

And with Manchester United boss Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer also interested in Bergwijn, we could potentially witness a transfer battle between two of the Premier League giants as we head into the final few days of the winter transfer window.

Steven Bergwijn would be the perfect fit under Pochettino

After emerging as one of the rising stars of the Eredivisie last season, Bergwijn has upped his game this campaign, having been involved in 17 goals in just as many games.

The PSV star is generally a left-winger by trade, but likes cutting inside more often than not to catch the defenders on the wrong foot and test the goalkeeper with his shooting prowess. He has averaged almost 3 shots per game this season.

Bergwijn is a versatile forward, who has played in different roles in the final third during his time at PSV. Therefore, the Dutchman can be utilised not only as a winger but also as a secondary striker or a false nine.

This could be extremely useful for Pochettino, who will be without the services of both Dele Alli and Harry Kane until March. Thus, Bergwijn can be deployed as the central striker alongside Fernando Llorente or Lucas Moura in Spurs’ 3-4-1-2.

The 21-year-old is blessed with raw pace, which, combined with his excellent positioning sense would make him a perfect deputy for the injured Kane as Bergwijn often tends to find himself in such positions.

But, what makes Bergwijn such an appealing target for the Lilywhites is the fact that he can add the much-needed productivity in the final third.

Aside from Kane, none of the Tottenham attackers have quite managed to find the back of the net on a consistent basis and Bergwijn, in that regard, would be an ideal acquisition.

The Dutchman has been involved in 36 goals over the course of the past 18 months in the Eredivisie and though, integrating to the faster-paced nature of Premier League could be difficult for the 21-year-old, it’s a move that makes sense considering Pochettino’s proficiency in nurturing young players.

Stat courtesy: Whoscored