REPORT: Tottenham has successfully signed English player who is very strong and rough 

REPORT: Tottenham has successfully signed English player who is very strong and rough

Spurs are set to fight PSG for the signature of the Brazilian winger.
Tottenham Hotspur are engaged in a battle to sign Brazilian winger Pepê as they look to bolster their attacking options, according to A Bola, via Sport Witness.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news?
Spurs are targeting FC Porto star Pepê as Ange Postecoglou gets started on his business in North London. A Bola also reports that the 26-year-old has a release clause of €75m (£64m), a figure Porto are insisting interested clubs meet.

Daniel Levy and Co are said to have already made their first move by placing a bid for the Brazilian, however the figure is believed to be ‘still far’ from what Porto expect.

PSG are also mentioned as an interested party, however the report from A Bola states they have yet to make a move, with Pepê viewed as a Neymar replacement for Les Parisiens.

One important note however is that Porto manager Sérgio Conceição is being suggested as a potential next PSG boss, in that scenario it is likely he favors a move for his current star player.

Who is Pepê?
Given Pepê’s status as a fairly unknown name to those unfamiliar with the Primeira Liga, many Spurs fans will be questioning what exactly they’d be getting if this deal gets done.

In Liga Portugal last season, the winger scored four goals and assisted seven in 28 starts and 34 appearances, however his importance to the Porto side goes beyond goals and assists, and he showed his versatility by operating in a remarkable eight different positions this term.

Using FBRef as a basis, it is clear to see why Spurs are interested. Pepê ranks in the 91st percentile (2.55 per game) for successful take-ons among other left-wingers. Clearly he is a profiecient dribbler and someone who will get fans in N17 off their seats. He also averages 3.44 progressive carries per game (70th percentile).

Despite being a flair-filled Brazilian winger, Pepê also isn’t afraid to do the dirty work, averaging in the 99th percentile for interceptions (1.5 per game) and also averaging 1.4 tackles per game – he seems tailor-made for the Premier League and Postecoglou’s high-intensity style.

Despite not featuring for Brazil’s senior side, Pepê had scored three in six for their u23 side.

FBRef also offers an insight into similar players, and one who will stand out to fans of English football will be Sunderland sensation Amad Diallo, on loan from Man United, who lit up the second tier this season with his one-on-one dribbling and finishing.

It does feel like a player who Postecoglou would feel like moulding and improving, similarly to how he did so successfully with the young attacking players at Celtic