Another Son: Spurs target Federico Chiesa’s valuation revealed by CIES Football Observatory
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Daniel Levy has established himself as the epitome of tight-fistedness in a modern footballing world which is defined by extravagant and often gratuitous spending.
The vast majority of Tottenham supporters have never met Levy but almost all of them have constructed an identity for their chairman based off a combination of media reports, Spurs’ sparse transfer activity and an almost satirical will for him to be the league’s most cunning negotiator.
The immaculately presented bald-headed businessman looks like any old paper-chasing schmuck, but on the negotiating table this ordinary man morphs into a beast, forcing those who dare to join him to succumb to his demands regardless of how ridiculous they may seem.
But for how much longer can a man as unique as Levy survive in this modern world? Spurs are mixing amongst the heavyweights now and they sure want to stay exactly where they are.
Even though miracle-working Mauricio Pochettino has proven that there are exceptions to the rule in football, the club cannot continue to operate at the top level without an injection of significant investment.
The 2017 summer transfer window saw the club break their transfer record for Davinson Sanchez, who joined from Ajax in a deal worth £42 million, and if Spurs want to sign one of the most compelling talents in European football they will almost certainly have to obliterate that record.
The talent being alluded to is Fiorentina star Federico Chiesa. Tottenham were credited with interest in the flying winger back in December 2017 and reports have continued to persist ever since, with a report last month suggesting that interest is still at large.
Chiesa, 21, has established himself as one of the most coveted talents on the continent since breaking into the first-team at Fiorentina, stunning Serie A audiences with his multitude of technical qualities.
It’s no surprise, then, that he is the club’s most valuable player at €68 million (£58.7 million), per a recent financial report from CIES Football observatory.
On paper that valuation may seem beyond what Levy is willing to splash out but some context is needed here. This is a player who is already performing to an immense standard in one of Europe’s top five leagues, despite being just 21-years-of-age.
Attacking players typically command the biggest valuations in football due to their match-winning capabilities. That Levy was willing to pay £42 million for a central defender of the same age almost two years ago suggests the extra £16.7 million cost for a proven attacker is actually within the realms of possibility.
Of course, it must be considered that Spurs have other areas to prioritise in the transfer market but Chiesa is the type of talent who has stark credentials to become a key player at the club, and he could even rise to a level akin to that which Son Heung-min currently stands proudly on.
Like the South Korea international, Chiesa is a dynamic attacking winger who loves to dribble at his opponent with verve and purpose. But that desire is not merely a vanity exercise and his return of 20 goals and 22 assists from 106 appearances for Fiorentina underlines the excellence of his end product.
Statistically the players are similar too. Chiesa has had 3.8 shots per Serie A game this season, played 1.5 key passes, completed 2.3 dribbles and been fouled 1.7 times, per Whoscored.
Son, meanwhile, has made 2.3 shots per Premier League game, played 1 key pass, completed 1.5 dribbles and won 0.7 fouls, per Whoscored. Looking at the statistics, Chiesa actually looks like the more dangerous talent on paper with the ball at his feet, although Son’s emphatic return of 12 goals and 6 assists compared to the Italian’s 6 goals and 3 assists says otherwise.
Evidently, Chiesa has another level to rise before he can be considered on a par with Son, but that will come with time and experience in the coming years.
Would the majority of Spurs fans take a Son-esque wizard at £58.7 million? You bet they would.