The Celtic players Ange Postecoglou could take to Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou is now officially the latest man to take on the Tottenham job.
After Arne Slot seemingly used the club's interest as leverage in contract negotiations with Feyenoord, Tottenham threatened to endure another torturous managerial search as was the case in 2021.
Spurs' search two summers ago was nothing short of a joke, and while some supporters aren't best pleased with the route they've gone down this time around, at least they've got their new boss in before the summer transfer window opens for business.
While a very likeable bloke and potentially the facilitator of a brand of football Spurs supporters desire, there's no denying the risks with appointing Postecoglou given the sheer enormity of the task that awaits the 57-year-old Australian.
Time and patience is necessary among the fanbase with a difficult road ahead, and Postecoglou may seek familiarity in a bid to ease his transition into the Premier League. Here are four Celtic players he could bring with him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.
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1. Reo Hatate
Ange has been wedded to a 4-3-3 since he joined Yokohama F. Marinos in 2018, and we should expect the Australian to adopt a similar system in north London.
However, with Rodrigo Bentancur recovering from an ACL tear, there are currently few midfielders within the Spurs squad capable of excelling as a box-to-box number eight. You might argue that the two best suited to the roles, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, are destined to be moved on this summer.
There are alternate options, such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Pape Matar Sarr, but Postecoglou might try and reunite with converted forward Hatate, who was arguably the most impressive performer in the Scottish top flight during the Australian's two years at Celtic Park.
2. Jota
With Lucas Moura moving on and Bryan Gil's future uncertain, Spurs require depth in wide areas - even more so if Harry Kane departs and Richarlison is tasked with replacing him up top.
Thus, a possible familiar option for Postecoglou is Jota, who dazzled during the big man's two years at Celtic. The Benfica academy graduate has notched 41 Scottish Premiership goal contributions in 62 appearances.
The 24-year-old is adept off both flanks and perhaps ready for a step up in standard after standing out in Scotland. His playmaking capacity is equally impressive as his goalscoring, and a move to Spurs would allow him to reunite with the boss that got the very best out of him.
The club's current options mean Jota wouldn't be expected to claim a starting role right away either.
3. Carl Starfelt
Cameron Carter-Vickers' success in the Scottish top flight points towards a major drop in standard compared to the Premier League, and many Spurs supporters will undoubtedly turn their noses up at the prospect of signing CCV's steady centre-back partner.
Tottenham are in dire need of defensive reinforcements, and a left sided defender is of paramount importance. Clement Lenglet could join the club permanently, but Postecoglou needs much more.
Starfelt is by no means a superstar, far from it, and his signing would make little sense if Lenglet was to sign a multi-year deal. The Swede could be a serviceable back-up, though, after shining at Celtic Park during Ange's two seasons at the club.
The 28-year-old is a progressive ball player, but his experience at the highest level is minimal.
4. Kyogo Furuhashi
The former Vissel Kobe hitman is another Japanese international who's taken to the Scottish Premiership like a duck to water.
After a modest start to life at Celtic Park, Kyogo ended the 2022/23 campaign as the league's top scorer; netting an impressive 27 times in 36 games.
The seasoned striker is a remarkably intelligent forward who excels off the ball. His movement helps him get into optimal scoring positions, and he's usually clinical in front of goal - although he did slightly underperform his xG this season.
Kyogo certainly appears ready for a big move, but the 28-year-old is far from a ready-made Harry Kane replacement. Like Jota and Starfelt, he'd be much more suited to initially playing a less prominent role if Ange was to bring him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.