Southampton have made it clear that they would allow Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to leave this summer if his release clause of £35 million is met by any potential suitor.
Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with the central midfielder with the gaffer looking to strengthen his squad in a bid to win his first trophy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Everton are also in the race for Hojbjerg, who is keen to compete in Europe as per Evening Standard.
As the situation stands, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would also have to step down from captaincy as manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has stated that the Denmark international would not be allowed to wear the armband without signing a contract extension.
There has been no official bid from the Lilywhtes for the 24-year-old so far but Southampton are keen on letting him go now rather than lose him for free when his contract expires next year.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Is he worth the outlay?
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would be a good buy at £35 million for Tottenham’s Portuguese coach in an inflated market. Tottenham lost Eriksen, who was their midfield glue when in form, to Inter and are now not left with many options in that area. Giovani lo Celso is the only player in midfield who has been living up to the expectations at the Tottenham Stadium leaving the manager in search of reinforcements.
The likes of Eric Dier and Harry Winks have not shown enough improvement and are largely one-dimensional in their approach, something which is hurting the dour Spurs team at the moment.
The Danish footballer is good at dictating the tempo of the game and his concentration levels rightly suit the position that he plays in. He is versatile with abilities to play both in defensive and attacking areas in the centre of the park which would hand Mourinho an option to build the midfield around him.
His aerial ability will also come in handy for Spurs who do not have many combative players who can fight it out with the opposition player especially in the middle of the pitch. His tenacity helps his team fight for the second balls, a trait which is becoming ever crucial in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old is also a very good interceptor in the middle of the park and is an excellent reader of the game. He also maintains the flow of the game with his short passing while not attempting to be too adventurous with the ball. Hojbjerg does not think twice before sliding into tackles, a trait which gets him into trouble at times. But it is something which Mourinho will not look upon too unkindly.
Overall, with the quality that Hojbjerg possesses, Southampton’s demand of £35 million for a young midfielder who also has the quality to lead a team seems justified. But Jose will also need to address a couple of other areas on the pitch as well first and this deal will ultimately come down to the extent Daniel Levy is ready and able to back Jose in the transfer window.
Because right now Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should not be a priority signing for Tottenham Hotspur.