Why Tottenham should eye cut-price Rob Quaison swoop in January
Back in August, reports in Germany via The Mirror (h/t Football London) claimed that Tottenham had made contact with German Bundesliga outfit Mainz over a potential deal for striker Rob Quaison. However, talks between the clubs failed to progress further and the Swedish international stayed put at Mainz.
Spurs eventually roped in Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius on a season-loan loan deal from Benfica before the summer deadline to provide Harry Kane with some much-needed back-up.
Profile
Rob Quaison started his professional career with AIK in the Swedish top-flight, scoring 8 goals in 63 appearances for his boyhood club over three seasons. He then secured a move to Italian Serie A side Palermo in the summer of 2014 but struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.
As a result, the versatile forward failed to make a big impression during his two-and-a-half-year stint in Italy, managing meagre returns of 8 goals in 70 appearances. Quaison moved across the continent to join Mainz in January 2017. He has since blossomed into a quality player in the Bundesliga over the past three years.
The 27-year-old has amassed an impressive tally of 30 goals and 11 assists in 110 appearances for Mainz in all competitions, including a career-best tally of 13 goals in the Bundesliga last term. A full international for Sweden since 2013, Quaison has earned 21 caps for his nation so far, scoring 8 times in the process.
Quaison would offer good value for money
Carlos Vinicius has proven himself to be a smart addition to Tottenham’s ranks. The Brazilian has registered 2 goals and 3 assists in 4 appearances for the Lilywhites in the group stages of the Europa League, offering Jose Mourinho a useful alternative to Harry Kane in front of goal.
Vinicius, though, has played only 12 minutes of football in the Premier League so far this season, meaning that he remains untested against top-quality opposition in English football. The Benfica loanee will surely be given a crack of the whip to prove himself in the PL later on in the campaign when the fixtures start to come thick and fast.
However, Tottenham will need to be absolutely sure of his qualities before exercising the daunting €45million option to buy clause in the striker’s loan agreement. Hence, with Vinicius’ long-term future in North London beyond the current season still very much up in the air, the door remains open for Spurs to monitor other targets in the January market.
To put things into perspective, Tottenham should make a renewed attempt to exploit the unresolved contract situation of Rob Quaison at Mainz. The Swedish international’s existing deal expires next summer and with talks over a new contract yet to reach a positive end, Spurs should fancy their chances of nabbing him for a knockdown piece in January.
Quaison isn’t an out-and-out centre-forward by trade but is more than capable of leading the line. Besides that, he boasts the versatility to operate in No.10 and wide attacking roles in the final third, meaning that the Swede would be a more dynamic addition to Tottenham’s ranks at a potentially lower fee.
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Verdict
The 27-year-old has a decent track record of goals and assists for Mainz in Germany and would therefore provide Mourinho with some quality cover and competition for places. Quaison still potentially has his best years ahead of him and Tottenham completing a cut-price swoop for their summer target would surely be a shrewd piece of business.
