Tottenham Hotspur winger Mohammed Kudus has made an impressive start to life at the club since his move to North London from West Ham United in the summer transfer window.
The Ghana international has delivered one goal and four assists in seven appearances in the Premier League, per Sofascore, this season, which included a goal and an assist against Leeds United last weekend.
It remains to be seen whether or not he will provide consistent quality, though, as the forward ended last season with a return of just five goals and three assists for West Ham in the Premier League.
Whilst there are question marks over whether or not Kudus will produce consistent performances, it is worth thinking back to possibly one of the most consistent midfielders in the club’s modern history, Mousa Dembele.
What made Mousa Dembele a key player for Spurs
The Belgian midfielder, now 38, racked up 249 appearances in all competitions for the Lilywhites, per Transfermarkt, after his move from Fulham in the summer of 2012.
Dembele was never a central midfielder who was going to score and assist goals on a regular basis, as evidenced by his return of 10 goals and 11 assists, but he was an incredibly mobile talent who could get across the pitch to break up attacks defensively and keep play ticking on the ball.
Per WhoScored, he averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game throughout his career and only lost the ball through a miscontrol once per average, which speaks to both his combativeness and his ability to retain possession under pressure.
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He was so reliable and consistent defensively and on the ball under pressure from opposition players, which is why he was such a key player for Spurs for so many years in the engine room.
Whilst there is a question mark over Kudus’ consistency, there is another summer signing for Spurs who may be one of the club’s best signings since Dembele in the midfield, Joao Palhinha.
Why Joao Palhinha is one of Tottenham's best signings
The Portugal international arrived from Bayern Munich on an initial loan deal in the summer and already looks to be the best midfield signing made by the club since Dembele left in the summer of 2018.
Palhinha, whose work rate was dubbed “incredible” by reporter Kyle Bonn, has caught the eye with three goals in 11 appearances for Spurs this season, but it is his work off the ball that has been even more impressive.
The 30-year-old star, who previously excelled in the Premier League with Fulham, has been an enforcer at the base of the midfield for Thomas Frank this season, showcasing his immense tackling ability.
24/25
Joao Palhinha – 3.6
23/24
Destiny Udogie – 3.0
22/23
Yves Bissouma – 2.9
21/22
Cristian Romero – 2.8
20/21
Serge Aurier – 2.9
19/20
Japhet Tanganga
As you can see in the table above, he currently has the highest average of tackles made per game in the Premier League since the start of the 2018/19 season for Spurs, which was the club’s first year without Dembele in midfield.
This speaks to his ability to read the game, his desire to win the ball back, and his strength to complete the tackles successfully and consistently.
Palhinha averaged 5.0 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 in his last full season for Fulham, per Sofascore, in the Premier League, which shows that he is a consistent defensive force in the middle of the park, and that he may have even higher levels to hit at Spurs.
Therefore, it is fair to suggest that the Portuguese star may be one of the club’s best midfield signings since Dembele because of the reliability and consistency that he brings to the team defensively.