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Why Ricardo Rodriguez Could Be the Signing Tottenham Hotspur Need to Improve Their Squad

Author:
90 Min
Publish date:
Jul 9, 2018

Ricardo Rodriguez currently plays for AC Milan after signing a four year deal with the Serie A club. Yet rumblings indicate he may soon be leaving Italy for London as we approach the end of the transfer window.

The left back, who was part of Switzerland's 2018 World Cup squad, has been linked to Tottenham Hotspur recently. Whether or not he wants to come to Spurs, it begs the question - should they sign him?

topshot-fbl-wc-2018-match55-swe-sui-5b3f6922f7b09dc16100001c.jpg — JEWEL SAMAD/GettyImages

The 25-year-old has been around for some time. He started his club career at FC Zurich and made his debut appearance for the club as a 17-year-old. He continued to impress in Switzerland and it was not long before he moved on to German outfit Wolfsburg.

In November 2013 he scored his first goal for Wolfsburg from a brilliant free kick against Borussia Dortmund. He spent several seasons with Wolfsburg before joining his current club, AC Milan.

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So why do I think Spurs should sign him? Well for a start he is great in his position as a left back. He plays there for club and country and is a typical modern day full back. He is a great crosser of the ball and can whip it in to the danger area with pace. There is variety to his game. He can cross the ball with either a curved trajectory or a flat, straight and powerful ball.

Rodriguez likes to get forward and can run with pace into the open space on the left side of the pitch. He is also very good at defending, usually tracking back to prevent attacks as well as providing timely interceptions and tackles.

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In addition, Tottenham should sign him because he would be a good replacement for Danny Rose, whose future at the club is unclear. Rose is a good player but if his mind is drifting away from the focus of Tottenham then he can no longer play to his best.

Although Spurs have Ben Davies, Rodriguez has the potential to be better - especially under Mauricio Pochettino's guidance who can nurture and further improve his capabilities.

The six foot tall defender also has vast experience. He has won the U-17 World Cup with Switzerland, and has also been a key asset for the national side at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

colombia-v-england-round-of-16-2018-fifa-world-cup-russia-5b436b6d7134f6ef49000041.jpg — Dan Mullan/GettyImages

Rodriguez is versatile in his position and has sometimes been used as a centre back due to his good heading abilities and tactical awareness. Committing fouls can be costly to a team's success but that is not something he does often.

Moreover he is great at set pieces. Crossing the ball, whether it's from a corner or free kick, comes naturally to him and more often than not his deliveries result in a shot on target - if not a goal.