In what was an impressive victory for RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash against Tottenham, they did so without having one of their main men on the pitch: Dayot Upamecano.
The France international was suspended for the game, but is likely to return as Spurs travel to Germany looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the home leg.
The 21-year-old has proven himself to be an integral part of Julian Nagelsmann’s side this season, making 28 appearances across all competition. It is unsurprising therefore that the likes of Spurs and Arsenal are said to be interested in luring him away from Leipzig.
Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below
Upamecano signed for the German outfit back in January 2017, arriving for a fee of £9m, as per Transfermarkt. It’s a rather significant date in hindsight, as just a a couple of weeks later, Spurs appointed their new chief scout, Steve Hitchen.
If the north London side are intent on bringing Upamecano in the summer, then it is now likely going to cost an extortionate amount of money to prise him away.
According to L’Equipe (via The Daily Mirror), though Upamecano’s release clause will be slashed if he does not sign a new deal at Leipzig, the figure will still be at a hefty £53m – significantly more than what the German team paid to sign him for in the first place.
And it could perhaps even be more devastating for Spurs if the centre-back puts in a superb performance in the second leg of their Champions League clash on Tuesday night.
The world will no doubt be watching, and the biggest sides will surely have their scouts in attendance, poring their eyes over the Frenchman. The better he plays, the more likely the demand for his signature will increase.
Upamecano could leave Hitchen ruing the fact Leipzig snapped up an absolute bargain, mere weeks before he arrived on the scene at Spurs.
There’s no guarantee that Hitchen would have spotted the star-in-the-making had he been appointed by Spurs before the defender moved to the Bundesliga outfit. However, the fact Hitchen’s arrival was confirmed so shortly after RB Salzburg’s sale naturally leaves a feeling of what might have been.
And a domineering display from the Frenchman could leave the Lilywhites backroom man wondering if he arrived in the right place at just the wrong time when the two sides go head-to-head tonight.
For any chief scout, there’s little glory in advising a club to sign a player who has already made a name for himself on the European stage and commanded interest from some of the world’s most prestigious outfits.
True achievement arrives when they identify an unproven talent available at a bargain price before watching them blossom into a world beater.
The recruitment team at Leipzig can boast that achievement having brought Upamecano to the club for a measly fee in 2017, and that feeling may well be reinforced by the time Tuesday’s last-sixteen encounter reaches its conclusion.
Meanwhile, Tottenham should worry about this RB Leipzig ace rather than Timo Werner.
