Club Brugge winger Andreas Skov Olsen has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur, who are scouting the Denmark international at the World Cup.
According to reports from Nieuwsblad, Tottenham are keeping close tabs on the situation of Bruges winger, Andreas Skov Olsen, and are monitoring the Danish international’s performances at the World Cup.
The 22-year-old crafty winger has a burgeoning profile and has been widely tipped to emerge as a breakout star at this year’s World Cup for dark-horses Denmark.
He has had an unusual career path. He came through the youth ranks of the renowned FC Nordsjaelland academy but was snapped up by Bologna in 2019 for a fee of just €6 million after impressing for Denmark’s Under-21s.
The move seemed a smart one at the time, not switching to a big club too early should have given him a chance to nourish his talents, but his time in Serie A did not go as planned, with the attacker more often than not used as a reserved right-wing back, which hindered his attacking potency.
In total, he made 71 appearances for Bologna, chipping in with only 3 goals and 5 assists in the process. To put his underwhelming production into context, the jet-heeled wide-man found the back of the net 26 times during his final season at Nordsjaelland, drawing the attention of several Premier League clubs along the way.
Manager Carl Hoefkens has slotted the left-footed Olsen in as an attacking right wing-back in a back-five system. It may sound like a weird call, but his attributes fit the position’s demands like a glove, with Olsen tearing defences apart, bursting forward, and taking up premium spaces between opposing midfield and defence.
Not only that, his output has drastically improved, with eight goals and four assists to his name so far this season. Olsen has also played a vital role in Bruges qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League, notably by scoring against Porto.
And it seems his stellar performances are not going unnoticed, with Spurs’ scouts on hand to keep an eye on his progress. Tottenham had a pretty solid first half of the season. At the same time, though, some of the shortcomings in the squad became abundantly clear in the weeks leading up to the World Cup break as injuries and fatigue took their toll on the players amidst a rigorous schedule of games.
They have lacked creativity in the injury absence of Dejan Kulusevski, while the right wing-back area remains an ever-present problem. Although Spurs boss Antonio Conte has enough options in the likes of Emerson Royal, Matt Doherty, and Djed Spence to call on at right wing-back, neither player has managed to stamp their authority on the Lilywhites’ starting XI this term.
Thus, Conte must look to add a quality right-sided attack-minded player. Olsen might be viewed as a perfect fit for Antonio Conte’s preferred wing-back system. Rapid, nimble, and direct with a superb touch, lovely balance, and a consistent goal threat with a fearsome left foot, Olsen has a lot to offer.
Not to mention, the 22-year-old is very versatile and can also cover attacking positions. It remains to be seen whether Fabio Paratici and Spurs will make an offer to solidify their interest.
