Finishing runners-up to Chelsea may be tainted by a little disappointment given that it will be the second time in as many seasons the Lilywhites have been close but not quite close enough to the summit of the table, but a return to the Champions League means that there’s plenty to be positive about at White Hart Lane.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men may have put in a pretty limp showing in Europe’s top competition this season, but the financial rewards of being in the tournament and the appeal it has when attracting new players cannot be discounted, and reports from the Mirror this week have suggested that the Lilywhites may try to use this to land RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita.

The Guinean midfield has been one of the driving forces behind the German side’s impressive transition to life in the Bundesliga following their promotion last term and his stats hint he could be the ideal signing for Pochettino…

As the numbers show, Keita has been all-action all season, completing a whopping 65 take-ons from a central midfield area while winning 32 tackles and making 59 interceptions. He’s also netted five goals and weighed in with six assists, showing that he has end product despite being a predominantly deep-lying player.

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