Arsenal target to join Tottenham Hotspur, is he making a mistake?

Add as a preferred source on Google

Bengaluru, May 19: If reports in England are to be believed, Arsenal could lose one of their priority targets for the summer as Ryan Fraser is reportedly set to snub the Gunners in favour of a move to their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Available on a free transfer this summer, Fraser has attracted interest from a host of clubs in recent months but it was believed that Arsenal were leading the chase for him but Spurs have now emerged as the leading club in the chase.

Even though the Scotsman has had an underwhelming 2019-20 season so far, he is still rated highly for his extraordinary 2018-19 season in which he produced 8 goals and 15 assists for Bournemouth in all competitions. Now that it is reported that the 26-year-old is closing in on a move to Spurs, we will try to analyse whether it will be the right move for him or not.

Is Fraser is a Mourinho-type player?

Every manager demands players who would suit his tactics properly and Jose Mourinho is no exception. The Portuguese manager can be a nightmare for most attacking-minded players as he demands a lot of defensive work from his attackers as well.

'The Special One' is famous for his rather pragmatic approach to the game and under his management, we have seen some exceptionally talented attacking midfielders and wingers struggling. Kaka and Juan Mata can be named as the biggest examples of players who failed to deliver under Mourinho.

Ryan Fraser looks far from a player who would suit Mourinho's style of play. The Scotsman is more of a natural winger who likes to hug the touchline, unlike most modern-day wingers who operate as inside-forwards. His natural game is about beating his man and attempting to provide lethal deliveries into the area and in Mourinho's system, he could struggle badly.

With a frame of 5'4" inches, Fraser is one of the smallest players in the Premier League and his defensive figures are also not quite impressive. He has made just 0.4 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 0.6 clearances per game on an average this season. These figures are certainly not good enough for a Mourinho-type player.

Competition in his position

Fraser is quite a versatile player who can operate on either flank and even centrally as an advanced playmaker. However, he would have to fend off a lot of competition to get into the Spurs starting XI with players like Son Heung-Min, Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn, Dele Alli and Ryan Sessegnon already present in the areas where Fraser can operate.

However, at Arsenal, things are much different. The Gunners do not have too many quality options on the flanks and have some players who are struggling to find their best form. Mikel Arteta's side badly need an out and out wide player and Fraser could prove to be an automatic first-team option at the Emirates if he moves there.

Also, with the futures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexander Lacazette and even Mesut Ozil up in the air, Fraser could potentially become the player around who Arteta builds his base. When a player of Fraser's quality is available for free, it is natural for all top clubs to register their interests in the player.

A player who can provide 14 assists in the Premier League in a season is indeed special and for free, it makes him even more desirable but Fraser needs to choose his destination more carefully. And Arsenal seems like a much better option for him compared to Spurs in every way possible.