It might seem impossible for Tottenham to successfully replace Gareth Bale and what he’s achieving at White Hart Lane. No one could have foreseen his rise in English football, and yet the future remains muddy at best once he finally calls it a day in North London.
Real Sociedad meanwhile continue their march towards next season’s Champions League group stage. A thrilling 2-2 draw at the weekend against Espanyol might have been considered a minor blip, but once again the young stars shone bright, namely Antoine Griezmann.
Talk of replacements for Bale do not get as good as Sociedad’s young Frenchman. Griezmann has seen a similar rise in his development this season, taking on far more responsibility and adapting his trade in prominent central roles. It’s been a mature season from the midfielder, repaying the faith the club has had to show in him and the rest of their academy graduates.
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Next season might not be the right time, as with Sociedad so close to European football, no one is clamouring for the exit door. Yet that could be exactly what Tottenham need. As of now, you really don’t get the sense that Bale is definitely on his way out this summer – next year’s summer transfer window could be the perfect time to replace with a youngster who is tested in UEFA’s elite club competition.
And let’s make no mistake here, this isn’t one of those underwhelming signings that is sure to crumble under the expectation. Griezmann is one of La Liga’s brightest midfielders and a player who is more than good enough to make a big step up.
As mentioned, his game has developed exceptionally well this season. He’s no longer just a wide player with pace and tricks in his locker; he knows how to provide this Sociedad side with creativity and goals when operating through the middle. In a false 9 role that is steadily creeping around European football, Griezmann has all the attributes, including the intelligence, to adjust to that formation. It’s not real surprise, then, that both Barcelona and Bayern are reportedly looking at him.
Griezmann is an incredibly exciting player to watch. His talent and progress this season suggests that there is so much more to come, while you’re unlikely to see a better goal than the second of his two against Valladolid last month.
And then there’s the joy Tottenham can take from all of this. Real Sociedad are no different to many other Spanish clubs, and like most others they’ll be powerless to stop clubs coming in and taking what they want. The fact that Sociedad are a team who rely heavily on youth tells much of the story, and like with other La Liga teams in the past, you have to wonder how long manager Philippe Montanier can keep up this steady ascent.
Even with the potential purchase of Griezmann, it might not necessarily just be about replacing or replicating what Bale did at Tottenham. This is a player who took up central midfield roles earlier in the season, which then gave Montanier all the more reason to use Griezmann in various positions in attack. Carlos Vela and captain Xabi Prieto standout as some of the important names of this campaign, but prior to this season Griezmann was always considered the leading talent to come through the youth system.
This is a player good enough to help a club like Tottenham reinvent themselves and develop the counter-attacking game. Not to completely suggest Griezmann could line up in Luka Modric’s old position, but the Frenchman does offer more of a creative spark than Bale, meaning a variety of formations will be available.
Moving on from Bale might not require much searching and it certainly won’t necessitate breaking the bank. A move up and away from the Anoeta was always on the cards for Griezmann, and Tottenham should be one of the many clubs fighting for a place at the front of the queue.
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