- 13 hours ago
Champions League star who likes beer, burgers and pizza is PERFECT for Spurs
Robin Bairner
- 1 May 2024 12:40 BST
- 4 min read
Clubs across Europe will be watching the stars on display in Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final between PSG and Dortmund.
In particular, teams will keep a close eye on the Bundesliga side given their reputation as a selling club.
Among the players who will be monitored are Jadon Sancho and Ian Maatsen, on loan from Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, yet one player who could be sold in the summer may not get any game time.
READ MORE: Dragusin E, Maddison C: Grading every Tottenham signing this season
STATS
Niklas Süle
D (CR)
Dortmund
Niklas Süle
D (CR)
Dortmund
Niklas Sule has been relegated to third-choice centre-back by head coach Edin Terzic, despite being rated as the club’s best option in this area by data analytics experts SciSports.
According to one German journalist, his absence from the team has nothing to do with his ability.
“Niklas Sule likes pizza, burgers and beer. In his case, it's a question of discipline but he doesn't have bad matches. I think Edin Terzic doesn't really like the fact that he's gained weight, that he's not fit and now he seems more like a third option in defence,” Bild’s Dortmund expert Sebastian Kolsberger explained to Le Parisien.
READ MORE: Latest Tottenham transfer rumours
Now a summer transfer appears likelier than ever for a player who has also fallen out of favour with Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann.
With the door closed to the first team at Dortmund for the moment, where could Sule go in the summer?
Sule to earn his Spurs?
According to SciSports, Tottenham represent the best destination for the 28-year-old, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €29.7 million.
He has a strong Club Fit score of 82 with Spurs. Ange Postecoglou’s side earn four stars in SciSports’ Career Advice tool for development, playing time and playing style, although the Australian’s preferred formation only scores one star for Sule.
At 6ft 5in, he appears built for the Premier League.
Could this hulking figure play in Postecoglou’s famous high line? Absolutely. According to UEFA, he has a top speed of 32.9 km/h in the Champions League this season, which is higher than Cristian Romero’s clocked figure of 30.4 km/h used by the same organisation.
This could be a viable deal given that Spurs’ defensive record has come under scrutiny this season while this area of their squad also lacks depth.
Other Premier League clubs could also be an option for the former Bayern Munich star.
Arsenal can rival Tottenham with a Club Fit of 79. The Gunners could even be a better option than their North London rivals should he be happy with a bench role. Mikel Arteta’s side match or better Spurs in every domain aside from playing time, which could be significantly restricted for him at the Emirates.
