by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
After a poor first half in the Premiership don't be surprised if Tottenham looks like a completely different side a week from now. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has been quite active during this winter transfer window and is now looking to off-load Giovanni Dos Santos.
Dos Santos has failed to fit into Redknapp's plans and with no change on the way, the Mexican teenager will need a change of scenery to find consistant playing time. Lyon has expressed interest in Dos Santos and might swap Brazilian striker Fred for the Mexican's services.
If you're surprised by the potential switch, don't be. Tottenham, who rank 4th-lowest in goals scored, need all the fire power they can handle and need players who they feel can contribute immediately.
If the deal goes through then Fred would just be the latest acquisition by the club. Yesterday Tottenham purchased goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini from Chelsea and also signed Sunderland defender Pascal Chimbonda.
What do you think of this story? Think Lyon would be a good fit for Dos Santos? Is Fred a decent acquisition? Think Tottenham's new signees will help keep them out of the relegation zone by season's end?
Share your thoughts below.
Gio is a great player, not used to the English game yet (needs some more bulk put on him so he can take a knock). However, his injury has held him to limited playing time. I’m not convinced Harry will want to keep him–we already have 2 other pygmies in Jenas and Lennon. I love Gio, but being at Spurs has not been all too good for him, I hope he moves (or is loaned out) as I can’t think of where he’d play in a strong line-up until he learns the English game and how he can be effective in it.
As for Chimmy coming back…..he was always solid and able to play any position across the back–and given our relative lack of depth, we need a player who is versitile. I just hope he doesn’t flake out like he did towards the end of his last stint at Spurs–otherwise, he is a solid utility player. Why oh why couldn’t we get Steed back? Because our midfield will be solid on it’s own for now (Especially with Palacios).
For anyone curious, let me tell you something–while I love Hutton and his tough play, he will be gone as soon as he is back up to speed and we can unload him (most likely summer). I hope we can keep him, but I don’t think that’ll happen.
Corluka has been THE best signing that will stay Spurs as long as he chooses too. Also to mention, but something happened when Defoe went away….he’s been staying onside, and he’s been holding the ball up very well, looking to distribute, and DEADLY on his shots. He and Pavs are going to be a great force as long as Palacios can hold the midfield and/or Modric can stay healthy and keep the creative distribution.
There’s your Spurs update.
Daammm, give both Gio and Freddy a break, they both havent even hit 20 yet, and u expect them to be balling up against much experience players that are way older, i think both Freddy and Gio are going to be what help the Concacaf become a powerfull international countries, also with Altidore and Kenwyne Jones who just re-signed with Sunderland, and many other young prospects, mainly for the U.S. and Mexico, but Honduras seems to be tough to beat, which means they musssst have some talent that just hasnt been noticed
lol, so overrated, his ego/skill ratio is off the charts. i love the people who try to play him up because he was a failure at barca. he played 28 times! awesome, but that speaks well of la masia not the player. had freddy been brought up in the greatest youth system in the world he would have become just as good as gio. but im all for waiting to see how things turn out. in the end only the result matters and both gio and freddy have been flops so far when it comes to playing on the first team in europe.
No need for the Fred move…Just fire Gio off to a Championship side on loan to acclimate him to the English game
hahahaha come on guys. there’s less than a 0% chance that MLS could sign Giovani Dos Santos. The kid is 19 years old and EASILY one of the top 50 young players this game has to offer. Sure, the Galaxy could conceivably pay the transfer fee after they sell Beckham but it’s not like Gio would actually go through with it. Hopefully someday this will be a realistic conversation, but not now.
I personally think the kid is sick, and will eventually become the talisman for the full Mexican national side. People keep saying that he was a bust at Barcelona. Um, the kid made 28 appearances for BARCELONA last season. You know the one? The squad that had Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry, Xavi, yada yada yada. Yeah, that one. How many other 18 year olds in world football could claim to have done the same? Not many, I don’t think.
Dos Santos was never touted as the next Pele, that was Freddy.
The Spanish press compared Dos Santos to Ronaldhino because they have similar “playing syles”, whatever that means.
I agree with Martha though, hopefully the future will be good for both of these talented kids.
After all that arguing over which one will be the next Pele it appears that both Adu and Dos Santos are busts…and in the french league.
Well see who can give meaner stares from the respective benches ….or who even dresses
I always kind of wondered whether or not MLS would make a play for Gio. His transfer fee would be less than $8 million and would be a fan favorite, especially in ChivasUSA. It makes a lot of sense, but MLS has never made a lot of sense when it comes to signing foreign talent.
hahahah nobody is as overrated as freddy adu.
The difference between Gio and Freddy is that while Freddy was nurtured at DC United, Gio made his way through Barca’s ranks and at this point in time teams like Lyon and PSG are interested in Gio while Freddy can’t even clean boots at Monaco.
now this should be a player that man city should pick up. I think do santos can be a great player you just have to use him right. and opposite of robinho might be a perfect spot
I pity their fans
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/01/27/mexico.voodoo.ap/index.html
God this guy is overrated. If Freddy Adu were Mexican, then he’d be even more hyped up than this dude.
Uh, dos Santos was never expected to be Tottenham’s savior… but anyway.
Fred would be a decent acquisition. Defoe, Pavlyuchenko, Bent, and Fred would finally give Spurs some depth at striker again, which is all the more necessary given that it’s clear that Bent can’t partner with Defoe. Dos Santos showed some flashes early in the season. He has talent. If he can go elsewhere and play, he will probably develop.
As for Spurs’ other moves, they’ve been great so far. In recent weeks there have been games where Corluka was pressed into service at right back. Bringing back Chimbonda (who was quite good for Spurs in his last go round) helps tremendously as Hutton is out long term and Gunter leaves much to be desired. Chimbonda can play on the right and allow Corluka and Woodgate to partner consistently in the center, with King playing when fit and Dawson coming off the bench. Cudicini was obviously a very sound signing, as Spurs needed something dependable behind (or maybe even ahead of) Gomes. The Palacios signing has been underrated – he may be the holding mid Spurs have been searching for to control the midfield behind Modric. Defoe+Pavs looks like a solid partnership up front. Spurs still need to figure out what Bentley’s role is, but the rest of the team seems to be stabilized, and if the Gio-Fred swap goes through, there will be depth everywhere. Spurs are well positioned to climb back up towards the middle of the table.
Fulham would take Gio anyday of the week… they need a left winger bad…
Matt, with there needing to be a somewhat substantial transfer fee involved, I would say MLS is not an option. And thats a shame. I could so see him in a Chivas USA jersey.
Wouldn’t he fit perfectly at Attacking Mid for the NEW YORK RED BULLS!? Just saying…
Dos Santos seems to be a young and promising player who has now failed at two diffent spots in major Euro Leagues. What are the chances that an MLS team could step up and get this great talent?
I think that he could thrive in MLS and establish himself before he give Europe another try. I would love to see him as a potential DP at RSL.
I am completely dreaming here or would MLS have a shot at this kid with his stock being down?
spurs are desperate to avoid the drop. ‘arry figures that he needs players that can contribute now instead of future prospects. i was excited when we picked him up from barca, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Really hope Gio would grow to his potential… Just like Adu… Their Talents are to good to go to Waste….
Redknapp is going the Roy Keane path. He started his tenure brilliantly, but has started to lose his line-up, and control of the team is spiraling away.
Without having a productive 11 to play, he’s looking all over, trying to patch something together. Just like Keane. Then, his head was underwater, and he was gone.
I don’t think Redknapp will leave, and I don’t think Tottenham will be out at season’s end (there is just too much miserable quality this season), but I don’t see much prospect of a turnaround with Harry’s moves. Without a reliable squad, making the moves will only help a small bit.
Would be very sad to see us give up on him so soon.
Interesting that Spurs seem intent on buying back so many of their former players (Defoe, Keane, Chimbonda)
Keep all the promising Mexican players on the benches of their respective clubs. I don’t want GDS to become a superstar.
The Mexican Freddy Adu and the American Giovanni Dos Santos in the same league? Awesome.
Freddy Adu, Gio Dos Santos, and Robinho need to make a support group.
It was probably too much to ask of dos santos to come in and be the savior for tottenham. I feel like dos santos was able to get playing time at Barca becuase they had SO MUCH fire power that it made up for whatever catching up dos santos may have had. I feel like hes still a gifted player, he just needs to slow down a bit(same with freddy adu). These young players really need to slow it down, maybe go to team that has a good youth program, not that they would play on the youth team, but a team that would know how to nurture these young players. i dunno which, ill leave that up to you.
Spurs are my favorite team and when they signed Gio I was extremely excited. However, he was injured for a decent chunk of the season and I think that has hurt his ability to get playing time. I would like to see him stay, I don’t think he’s gotten a fair chance with Spurs, but I know it’s probably not for the best.
As for Fred, Redknapp was trying to shell out millions to get K. Jones from Sunderland when they could get Fred for free, so that tells you how much Redknapp wants him. But, with Jones signing a new contract at Sunderland, I could see a loan deal for Fred happening.
I have no idea why they signed Chimbonda. I never thought he was that good the first time around with Spurs. And they already have Hutton (injured), Corluka, and Gunter at Right-back. Makes no sense to me. This team is spiraling out of control.
Looks like ‘arry much preferred Jol’s guys to Ramos’…first Defoe, now Chimbonda.
He said he wants depth…and if GdS can’t contribute right now, they need to find someone who can.
I wonder if they regret firing a manager who led them to back-to-back 5th place finishes?
I think it would be a good move for Dos Santos if he gets more playing time. Rednapp has not given him a chance and will not in the future. Tottenham are in shambles and he needs to get out of there.