Can Spurs’ Loaned-out Crop Return to Improve Ange’s Chances at a Hot Start?

After having four permanent managers in as many years, each with their own distinct styles of play and personalities, the Tottenham Hotspur squad has seen a fair bit of turnover in recent seasons. Still, as is always the hope, with Ange Postecoglou at the helm before the new season starts, there’s hope for stability and a more clear-cut style of play.  

Hoping for a clean slate upon their returns to North London will be last year’s loaned-out players. Among them, there are a bunch of full-backs and central midfielders, with the former being of particular interest to the new Australian boss. So, who’ll be coming back beaming with confidence and the potential to help translate their on-loan form into worthy Premier League performances?

A quick assessment of those out on loan

Chief among those loaned out by Spurs last season is three full-backs and a centre-back, who are either rated as having buckets of potential or who have performed well for the club in the past. Sergio Reguilón is the most senior of the quartet, but injuries greatly hindered his loan spell to Atlético Madrid.

Also hampered by injury – but doing enough to earn four more appearances than the Spaniard – was Djed Spence at Rennes, but a knee injury cut his half-season loan short. Spence was joined at the Ligue 1 club by centre-back Joe Rodon, who was given a couple of good runs in the starting XI.

The best of the defenders, though, looks to have been Destiny Udogie. Playing in his favoured left wing-back role, the 20-year-old Italian played 34 games – the majority of which he started and finished – to score three goals and tee up four more for his former club, Udinese.

Among the midfielders, Tanguy Ndombélé did score a couple of goals and an assist for Napoli in their season of triumph, but his lack of drive without the ball was still very much on show. After a season with Villarreal plagued by injury, but still yielded two goals and three assists in 29 games, Giovani Lo Celso seems destined to move on.

Somewhat surprisingly, Harry Winks enjoyed a half-decent campaign with relegated Sampdoria, starting almost every Serie A game in defensive midfield. Finally, the once-vaunted Spanish winger Bryan Gil mustered two goals and three assists for Sevilla.

Will any of them carry form to Postecoglou’s Spurs?

25 – Destiny Udogie's goal after 25 seconds is the fastest scored by Udinese in the Serie A since the one by Roberto Pereyra against Atalanta on January 20th, 2021 (24 seconds). Flash.#SerieATIM #UdineseSassuolo

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 12, 2023

As any experienced bettor or avid football fan will know, form is an incredibly important factor to consider when gauging the ability of a football team to win. However, as the football form guide explains, it can also be very deceptive. The quality of opponents is usually the element skipped over, but for the Spurs, they can hope for a break in form via eager incomings and a new manager.

Momentum is certainly a factor, but Tottenham hasn’t got any right now. So, Postecoglou will be looking to successful and ambitious loaned played to help provide a spark. With Celtic, he preferred a 4-3-3 with a single defensive midfielder and active full-backs who will shift into the backline when one side presses up and will exploit inside gaps higher up the pitch.

While a much more attack-minded player as it stands, given his performances on-loan and the dearth at left-back, Udogie should have a good shot at challenging for the starting XI. The defensive elements of his game are his strong suits, but he’s been utilised for his desire to pounce into the box – both elements suit his new boss very well.

If any momentum is to be gained from returning loaned players, it’d likely be gained from Udogie.