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This article is part of Football FanCast's The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Tottenham Hotspur could complete the £25m signing of Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham next week, per Football Insider.

On the chalkboard

But can he play left-back?

After Danny Rose was left at home as the Spurs squad jetted off for a pre-season tour of Singapore, there is a question over the position next season.

Ben Davies has signed a new contract but one assumes that Sessegnon will be signed to play at full-back if the England international completes a move away.

Per WhoScored, Sessegnon made 28 appearances in the Premier League last term, while Rose made 26 and Davies made 27.

Their sample sizes are similar then, but Sessegnon’s defensive statistics are not exceptional.

He made 0.6 tackles per game, 0.5 interceptions, 0.6 fouls, 1.1 clearances and 0.1 blocks. Rose made 1.9 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, one foul, 0.8 clearances and 0.2 blocks. Davies, by comparison, made 2.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 0.7 fouls, 2.3 clearances and 0.4 blocks.

Although he operated predominantly in offensive capacities last season, Sessegnon is clearly a worse defender than both of Spurs’ current left-backs. He is worse off in tackles, interceptions and blocks. He is better than Rose when it comes to clearances but that may be due to the Spurs star looking to pass instead of hoof the ball.

Perhaps then, he is a better attacker than the Tottenham players?

The stats bear this out, as Sessegnon provided six assists to Rose’s three and Davies’ none. He also has more shots-per-game and scored more goals than the pair - once again, albeit playing further up field. Rose averages the most key passes-per-game, with one, but Sessegnon averages 0.9, a negligible difference, while Sessegnon has similar average dribble numbers.

Rose crosses the ball significantly more than both Davies and the Cottagers man but the attacking stats between the seemingly departing star and the seemingly arriving youngster are strikingly similar.

Coachable

The 5 foot 10 Fulham star will have to be coached if he is to play at full-back.

He will have to make more tackles and he will also be asked to make more interceptions in such a high-pressing team.

Sessegnon is not a diligent defensive presence, as evidenced by his statistics, and is more of a wing-back or a winger.

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Indeed, if he is to play under Pochettino, he will have to improve the defensive side of his game.

As it is, both the unremarkable Davies and the seemingly departing Rose are better options.

If Sessegnon is to become the latter's replacement, he has to improve the defensive side of his game, or else Spurs face a season with very little protection on the left flank.