When Tottenham completed the £30m deadline day signing of Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko, there was a predictable backlash on social media.
A lot of fans balked at what seemed to be an inflated fee for a player who only turns up, or even warms up, when the cameras are rolling.
On his day, however, the Frenchman can be an unstoppable force. He was unfortunate to be on the losing side in the Euro 2016 final as he used his powerful athleticism to find himself in dangerous positions and threaten the Portugal defence.
While Sissoko undoubtedly has to fight for his place in a Spurs side that were unlucky to finish third in the league after a late-season collapse, there are some at White Hart Lane who are cautiously optimistic the Frenchman can be a success.
So will Sissoko live up to his price tag? Here are five reasons he can:
HE IS VERSATILE
One thing that is invaluable for a number of Premier League sides is having players with the ability to play in more than one position.
Not only can they act as cover for a number of players in the squad, but having a versatile player in your side also allows the manager more tactical flexibility during a match.
Sissoko is capable of playing in the hole, on the wing or as a box-to-box midfielder in the centre and can therefore expect plenty of pitch time in a number of different roles.
ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION
After a successful 2015/16, Spurs are currently embroiled in a Champions League campaign meaning rotating players is key.
Mauricio Pochettino has always done a superb job at managing player fitness, something which is vital to his high-pressure game.
While Tottenham had to contend with the Europa League last season, Pochettino was quite happy to field weaker sides in some matches and save his key players for a league challenge.
This won’t do in the Champions League and players like Sissoko will be important, whether in the Premier League or Europe.
KEEPS PLAYERS ON THEIR TOES
Even though he had a number of options in midfield, Pochettino seemed to find his preferred lineup in the second half of the season.
For the majority of the campaign, Dier and Dembele made up the midfield anchor while Erik Lamela, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen took up advanced positions.
While this worked as Spurs racked up the wins and the goals, players like Eriksen often flattered to deceive, going absent in stretches but safe in the knowledge their starting place was assured.
With players of Sissoko’s quality eager to impress, this is no longer the case, and Spurs’ players know they need to raise their game to keep their place.
POCH CAN GET THE BEST OUT OF HIM
One of Moussa Sissoko’s main problems appears to his mentality and finding consistency in his form.
When the Frenchman arrived at Newcastle he looked to be an exciting player, but Tyneside fans quickly became disillusioned with him after a series of lazy and ineffective performances.
Tottenham fans can be assured Pochettino won’t cut him any slack; if Sissoko thinks he can get away with anything other than 100% he’ll find himself out of the door quickly.
Hopefully Pochettino can inspire Sissoko because…
ON HIS DAY HE’S A JUGGERNAUT
As Sissoko showed at Euro 2016, when he wants to be, he’s unstoppable.
Sissoko’s performance against Portugal led to some people question which midfielder Manchester United should be spending their money on.
He showed glimpses of this at St James’s Park, firing a brace past Chelsea early in his Newcastle career and turning in a number of superb performances throughout his stay.
If Sissoko can harness that power into a consistent output, Tottenham will have a gem on their hands.
