De Zerbi “has a young Declan Rice” who could end Bissouma’s Spurs career

If Tottenham Hotspur are to retain their Premier League status this season, they will have to do it hard, fighting tooth and nail in the final weeks of the season.

In fairness to Roberto De Zerbi, he has had an impact on this struggling side, with last weekend’s game against Brighton a testament to that, even if the tight routines prevented Tottenham from celebrating Xavi Simons’ exceptional strike as a winner.

Two points behind West Ham United and Nottingham Forest a further three behind, 18th-placed Spurs are in purgatory right now, and De Zerbi needs to hit his team selection with pinpoint accuracy if the Londoners are to play at the highest level next season.

Time is running out, and difficult decisions must be made. However, with Rodrigo Bentancur back in the starting lineup after injury (and James Maddison apparently fit after a long layoff), the head coach could drop Yves Bissouma next time.

Why De Zerbi must offload Bissouma to Spurs

Bissouma, 29, is out of contract at the end of the season, and even if Tottenham can pull off a move away, it doesn’t seem likely that the Mali international will extend his stay at N17.

Chances have been few and far between for Bissouma this season. He suffered several injuries and missed the winter season due to the African Cup of Nations.

Against Brighton, he was one of the smaller players, unable to move the body that has been the core of his defensive skills over the years.

The 29-year-old is a talented midfielder, who has been around for a long time in the Premier League, but has left a lot to be desired for a long time, and many fans will question why he wasn’t released at some point in the last few years.

Bissouma lost all of his opponents on Saturday and was unable to advance. He’s by no means perfect, but De Zerbi can’t wait for the tough tackler to get back up to speed.

It’s time for Bissouma to return to the bench, with another Spurs star capable of taking his place in the final weeks and the next few years.

Spurs’ “young Declan Rice” could end Bissouma’s N17 career

Tottenham have plenty of talent in their first team, but things haven’t worked out for a few years now, with last season’s Europa League triumph compounding deep-seated problems.

In all these testing times, however, Archie Gray stood out among his older peers, performing better than most, playing with more maturity and conviction. Aged just 20, he has been thrown in at the deep end, appearing in the limelight since joining boyhood club Leeds United as an 18-year-old in 2024.

Compared to a “young Declan Rice”, according to Duncan Alexander of The Athletic, Gray’s versatility and imagination set him apart from his peers. Sharp in control and tackling on the ball, this could be Rice’s future rival in the Three Lions set-up.

A natural midfielder, Gray has been played in any number of positions at Tottenham, a testament to his versatility but also evidence of the inefficiency in north London that would have hindered the younger player.

Instead, Gray is only looking forward, encouraging those around him. In that respect, there is something Rice-esque about him, with the England star instrumental in lifting West Ham from Europe to silverware under David Moyes.

The truth of the matter is that Gray was not given enough opportunities to impress in, his natural position, his best position.

With Bentancur back, do you need to start over someone like Bissouma? You’d think his expertise wouldn’t matter when Spurs travel to Wolves next weekend, and it could spell the end for an experienced player who’s been beaten by someone ten years his junior.

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