Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in signing Marcel Sabitzer this summer, despite the departure of Jose Mourinho last month...

What's the word?

That's according to Thursday's print edition of Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport (27th May, page 14), which claimed that Spurs are still a 'dangerous competitor' in the race to land the 27-year-old attacking midfielder.

Mourinho, who is now in charge of AS Roma, is also still keen on the RB Leipzig skipper but his former north London outfit 'remain at the window,' as per the report.

Meanwhile, Sport Bild believe the Bundesliga club are willing to sell their star playmaker for around €42m (£36m).

Lo Celso upgrade

Tottenham have been crying out for a goal presence and creative source from midfield all season and that is exactly what Sabitzer would provide.

This campaign alone, the Austria international has directly contributed to 16 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, meaning he has averaged a goal or an assist once every 185 minutes, via Transfermarkt. That's merely another impressive return from Sabitzer, who provided 16 goals and 11 assists in 2019/20.

It means he has delivered a total of 25 goals and 18 assists across the past two seasons, a stark contrast to Spurs' options in the same role and, in particular, Giovani Lo Celso.

The Argentine was seemingly signed as a replacement for Christian Eriksen, initially joining on loan from Real Betis in the summer of 2019 before the north Londoners made the move permanent in a club record-equalling £55m deal.

[snack-amp-story url= "https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-managerial-updates-transfer-news-rumours-gossip-and-more-levy-kane-enic" title= "Read the latest Spurs news, managerial gossip, transfer rumours and more!"]

In the same timeframe as Sabitzer's lucrative run, Lo Celso has only given Spurs seven goals and four assists in return at an average of one goal contribution every 334 minutes, as per Transfermarkt.

That's nearly double the Leipzig star's ratio by comparison. It's a massive difference.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old isn't even among Spurs' most creative players, managing only 0.8 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game during the 2020/21 season, whilst Sabitzer has managed 1.1 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per match in the Bundesliga this term.

He's evidently everything that Lo Celso should've been for Spurs. It's also no wonder why he's earned many a glowing endorsement in recent times - his former boss Ralf Rangnick described him as "remarkable" and current head coach Julian Nagelsmann has previously dubbed him a "goal threat".

Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder has even likened the attacking maestro to the Lilywhites' former playmaker.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: "I think he’d bring a lot to Tottenham. He’s very similar to Eriksen, he’s that sort of player that Spurs have been missing in midfield."

Even in the absence of a new manager, chairman Daniel Levy must ensure that it is Spurs who win the race for the £26m-rated dynamo this summer.

He would be a clear upgrade in a vital area of the pitch for whoever is appointed as the club's next manager.

AND in other news, NO Kane? Skriniar SIGNED? How Spurs' XI could look under Antonio Conte...