With just about a fortnight remaining for the transfer window to end, Tottenham Hotspur must offload some of their surplus attacking resources. According to Sky Sources, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, 23, is set to join German Bundesliga side Mainz on a loan deal before the window closes.
The French winger burst onto the scene following some impressive performances for Ligue 1 side Marseille, where he enjoyed a fruitful spell playing alongside Michy Batshuayi. He joined Spurs in 2016 but has failed to make his mark in the regular first-team picture.
It would be unfair to say that N’Koudou lacks the quality to play in the Premier League but his omission from the line-up has largely been due to the abundance of attacking talent at Tottenham. With Harry Kane in sublime form, even an experienced player like Fernando Llorente has barely had minutes to fill in.
And N’Koudou, who is quite low in the pecking order, cannot expect any better. A free-flowing winger who can operate on either side of the pitch, the Frenchman has the ability to dribble past defenders with pace. He can draw fouls at crucial areas of the park and is also good at doing layoffs for his teammates.
However, he lacks in composure, holding ability and finishing. The loan deal to Mainz will allow him to get the required first-team minutes to work on his flaws. If he can string together some eye-catching displays in the Bundesliga, Pochettino might include N’Koudou in his plans for the next season.
With the likes of Christian Eriksen, Heung-min Son, Delle Alli and Erik Lamela already in the squad, it will be immensely difficult for N’Koudou to make a mark. The fact that Lucas Moura has found himself on the bench on a few occasions should be a major warning sign for the youngster.
Furthermore, Spurs boast the luxury of having versatile and dynamic full-back cum wingers in Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Serge Aurier and Ben Davies – all of whom are capable of causing considerable damage going forward.
At just 23 years of age, moving to Mainz on loan will present a glorious opportunity for N’Koudou to rediscover his potential since he will face less competition for a place in the side. At Mainz, he could be a part of the squad and enjoy a well-defined role.
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To sum it up, it is a crisp and wise move for Pochettino to agree to the loan deal since it could result in a win-win situation for the club and the player.
