Seville and Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano has announced that his time with the Spanish side is coming to an end which will delight the likes of Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, who tried to sign the player previously. However, Redknapp could face some tough opposition for the 30-year-old’s signature with an array of Serie A clubs interested – but with Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Italian league leaders AC Milan on Tuesday, Harry should feel confident in attracting the player to White Hart Lane.
When talking after the credible victory in Milan, Redknapp acknowledged the talent he has in his Tottenham side compared to their opposition but mentioned that he’d only add players who would take them up to the next level, but is Fabiano that player? A question worth asking given the performance of Peter Crouch at the San Siro on Tuesday night, as the striker netted a tidy finish after Aaron Lennon’s excellent pace and close control to break through the Milan defence. Crouch’s work rate was also impressive, often being a lone figure up front he never gave up for his side, but what if Fabiano was up front for Spurs instead?
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Whether you love or hate Peter Crouch, you can’t ignore his goal scoring record in Europe with 26 goals in 48 appearances over his career. His winner at the San Siro was his 8th in 7 games in the Champions League for Spurs this season but compared to his league tally (2 in 24) you can see why ‘Crouchy’ is not rated as a top striker. With Luis Fabiano usually played as a target man up-front, it’s hard to see both players lead attack for Spurs if the Brazilian joins in the summer.
Fabiano has a more prolific goal scoring record than Crouch with 24 goals in 30 La Liga games during the 2007-2008 season for Seville being his most impressive. However, you can argue that the quality of the Spanish league compared to the Premier League is not comparable. The Brazilian’s stats for European games are similar to those of Crouch with 19 goals in 47 appearances, but where the striker can’t match Crouch is in his aerial threat, whereas the Brazilian is more agile in beating players with the ball at his feet.
Let’s not forget the other forwards involved for Spurs; Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko could both make excellent striking partners for Fabiano. I would certainly like to see a Defoe and Fabiano strike force in the Premier League which I think could work well together. If Redknapp is to make this signing in the summer then I believe it is a step up from the likes of Mark Van Bommel, especially as Fabiano is only 30 years of age and still has a few years playing at the top level.
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However, would the signing of a younger striker such as Guiseppe Rossi or Sergio Aguero take Tottenham to the next level instead? Quite possibly, but Fabiano will bring with him a bag of experience that the younger options won’t have and it could also see him adapt to English football a lot quicker. Personally, I think it would be a good signing for Spurs that will boost their squad even more, but will it make the difference in terms of them challenging for Premier League titles? I don’t think so, but it can only strengthen them in trying to finish in the top 4.
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