Spurs had a “monster” talent who left for £0, now he’s outscoring Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a frustrating start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with just one win in their first matches of the season.

The Lilywhites kicked off the term with a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Leicester City, despite taking the lead on the night, but did follow that up with a convincing 4-0 win over Everton.

However, they were then beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, thanks to a late goal from Alexander Isak, and are sat on four points from three games.

Ange Postecoglou and his team may be eyeing up a top four finish this season to guarantee qualification for the Champions League, after finishing fifth and missing out last term.

Spurs have failed to score more than one goal in two of their three matches and one of the manager’s biggest tasks during the international break will be to devise a way for his team to add more of a clinical edge in front of goal.

Whilst the head coach must provide tactics and a system that puts players in positions to score, it is ultimately down to the players to step up and find the back of the net when given the opportunity to do so.

Dejan Kulusevski’s attacking contributions

Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski is one player who needs to step up and prove himself to be a reliable source of goals and assists in the final third.

He has started the current campaign with zero goals and one assist in three appearances for the Lilywhites, after a return of three goals and three assists in six pre-season outings.

Postecoglou will need the left-footed forward to offer more of a goal threat at the top end of the pitch, if he is to play regularly, to help the team secure qualification for the Champions League.

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski played in all bar two of the club’s games in the Premier League last season, yet failed to hit double figures for goals.

The 24-year-old flanker also failed to find the back of the net in any of his three appearances in the FA Cup and League Cup, which means that he has produced eight goals and four assists in 42 outings in all competitions since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

This may be particularly frustrating for Spurs when you consider that they once fumbled a terrific talent who has gone on to outscore Kulusevski in Noni Madueke.

Tottenham fumbled Noni Madueke

The English winger started his academy journey with Crystal Palace in London, spending four years at Selhurst Park between 2011 and 2014, before moving on to Tottenham.

Madueke spent four years with the Lilywhites, from 2014 to 2018, and had only made one appearance for the club at U18 level before his exit in the summer of 2018.

The 16-year-old was released by Spurs ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and that allowed Dutch giants PSV to swoop in and sign him for nothing.

It quickly became apparent that Madueke was too good for academy football with PSV, as he racked up 18 goals and 13 assists in 44 appearances for the club at U17, U18, and U21 levels combined.

The left-footed wizard worked his way up through the ranks with the Eredivisie outfit before finally making his breakthrough at senior level in the 2019/20 campaign – with four appearances in the top-flight.

As you can see in the table above, Madueke then enjoyed a strong first full season in the first-team with PSV, as he contributed with 11 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in seven starts in the Eredivisie.

The England U21 international went on to rack up 20 goals and 14 assists in 80 games in all competitions for the Dutch side before Chelsea swooped in to sign him in January 2023.

PSV cashed in on the forward for a reported fee of £30m and that shows that Spurs lost a huge asset when they allowed the gem to leave for nothing, as he went on to become a £30m player, whilst his performances for Chelsea suggest that he would also have been a fantastic player for Tottenham.

Noni Madueke’s goal return for Chelsea

The 22-year-old magician, who earned his first call-up to the England senior team during the current international break, has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season.

Madueke, who was dubbed a “mentality monster” by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, recently caught the eye with a staggering haul of three goals and one ‘big chance’ created in a 6-2 win for Chelsea against Wolves in the Premier League.

He also produced one goal in two outings against Servette in their Europa Conference League qualifiers, which means that the forward has managed four goals in four matches in all competitions this term.

His impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign for Enzo Maresca comes off the back of Mauricio Pochettino rarely trusting him from the start in the Premier League last season.

As you can see in the table above, the Argentine head coach, who was relieved of his duties over the summer, only started 13 top-flight games, but contributed with seven direct goal involvements.

Madueke also produced three goals and one assist in the FA Cup and the League Cup combined, which meant that he ended the campaign with eight goals and three assists.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 22-year-old star has plundered 12 goals and three assists in 38 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, compared to Kulusevski’s aforementioned haul of eight goals and four assists in 42 outings.

This suggests that Spurs fumbled badly when they allowed Madueke to leave for nothing in 2018, as he has gone on to develop into a top talent, worth at least £30m, who has outperformed the club’s current left-footed right winger.