Spurs "magician" could become Iraola's new Kluivert if he replaces Ange

This time last week, Tottenham Hotspur were preparing to overturn their 1-0 deficit to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

That victory not only saw them make it through to the competition’s quarter-finals but also took the mounting pressure off of Ange Postecoglou’s shoulders.

However, that pressure was quickly piled on again when the North Londoners fell to a dismal defeat away to Fulham in the Premier League.

With yet another league defeat under Postecoglou’s belt, links to potential replacements have been rife again, with Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola seemingly among the favourites.

If the Spaniard were to get the job, he could turn one of Postecoglou’s marquee signings into his new Justin Kluivert.

Why Iraola could be a great Postecoglou replacement

So, with recent reports indicating that Iraola is a genuine candidate to replace Postecoglou at the end of the season, why would that be good for Spurs?

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Well, the first and most straightforward answer is that despite losing his star striker to the Lilywhites in the summer, dealing with his own injury crisis earlier in the campaign and generally having less money to play with, he’s doing a better job this year.

As things stand, Bournemouth are tenth in the Premier League, with 12 wins, eight draws and just nine defeats to their name, while Spurs are down in 14th, with just ten wins, seven draws and a whopping 15 defeats to theirs.

Moreover, despite taking over the Cherries when they were one of the favourites to get relegated, the Spaniard’s overall record of 1.49 points per game on the south coast is only marginally worse than the Australian’s record of 1.59 points per game, which includes the incredible start to last season.

Overall, while Postecoglou has been able to make Tottenham more attacking, he’s clearly struggling, even with his star players back, so seeing him replaced by Iraola in the summer wouldn’t be a massive shock.

Furthermore, the former Rayo Vallecano boss might be able to get even more out of the North Londoners’ stars, especially one who could be his new Kluivert.

Iraola’s new Kluivert

If Iraola were to take charge of Spurs in the summer and lead them into next season, then there are a few candidates who could see their form improved in a way similar to Kluivert at Bournemouth, from Brennan Johnson to Dejan Kulusevski.

However, when it really comes down to it, there is one player who we can see becoming as crucial to the Spaniard in North London as the Dutchman is to him on the south coast: James Maddison.

There are a few reasons for this, with the first being that, like the Cherries ace, the Englishman is a technically brilliant player who can, and very occasionally has, played off the left in the past, but primarily thrives in an attacking midfield role.

Moreover, while the former Leicester City ace can and does get involved in play across the pitch, he is at his very best on the edge of the opponent’s penalty area, either playing a teammate in with an exquisite ball or timing his run perfectly to put the ball in the back of the net himself.

For example, despite being criticised at points this season, the “incredible” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 38 appearances this term, resulting in a goal involvement every 2.11 games on average.

For his part, the former Ajax star has been one of the most impressive players in the top-flight this term, dazzling Premier League defences on his way to scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists in 32 appearances for Bournemouth this term.

It’s a fine record, one that comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.6 games, and shows that Maddison – a fellow “magician” in the words of Statman Dave, can be the creative heart of the team.

Ultimately, if Ange is to be replaced in the summer, Iraola looks like a brilliant candidate to do so, and as he has done with Kluivert, he could help supercharge Maddison.

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