Spurs star who’s like “Barcola & Aaron Lennon” could end Johnson’s stay

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have often been blessed with numerous elite-level wingers, many of whom have given the supporters memories to last a lifetime in the final third.

Heung-min Son joined the Lilywhites from Bayer Leverkusen way back in the summer of 2015, making himself a cult hero in North London – after racking up over 400 appearances in North London.

The South Korean international captained the Lilywhites last season, leading them to European glory and subsequently helping them end their near-two-decade wait for silverware.

Gareth Bale was another, scoring countless strikes off the right-hand flank, even leaving in a club-record £85m deal to join Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013.

The Welshman is arguably one of the most talented players to ever grace the Premier League, with current boss Thomas Frank no doubt wishing he had a player of his calibre at his disposal.

However, one of Bale’s compatriots has ultimately failed to reach the levels many expected, which has brought his long-term future in North London into huge question.

Brennan Johnson’s decline at Spurs in the last 12 months

Brennan Johnson has endured somewhat of a rollercoaster spell in his two years at Spurs, with many being taken by surprise by his performances in North London.

The winger originally joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the transfer fee.

His spell at the club certainly didn’t get off to the best start in 2023/24, with the 24-year-old only scoring five times in his 32 appearances during his debut year.

The early stages of 2024/25 weren’t much better for the youngster, with his dismal displays leading to unacceptable abuse from a selection of supporters on social media.

In turn, Johnson deactivated all of his accounts, allowing him to focus on his football and subsequently shutting up his doubters – ending the year on 18 goals across all competitions.

He was also responsible for the biggest goal in the Lilywhites’ recent history, as he poked home the winning goal in the Europa League triumph against Manchester United back in May.

Frank’s arrival during the same period should have handed the winger the perfect chance to build on his success, but so far, he’s endured a huge drop-off in form, with his numbers massively suffering as a result.

Johnson averaged a superb 2.2 shots per 90 in the Premier League last season, but in the first 11 outings of the new campaign, he’s only been able to post an average of 0.96 per 90.

Such a drop is a 56% decline in the space of just a matter of months, showcasing that the player is currently suffering from a huge lack of confidence in North London.

He’s also seen a significant drop in terms of his touches in the opposition box per 90, with the Welshman also unable to get himself into threatening positions on a consistent basis.

Last season, the 24-year-old averaged a total of 5.9 touches in the 18-yard box per 90, but at present, he’s only notching a total of 2.6 – a drop of around 57%.

The Spurs star who can end Johnson’s Spurs career

After Son’s departure to join LAFC in the summer window, Spurs and Frank have massively lacked the depth and quality needed on the left-hand side of the attack.

Over the last few weeks, the Dane has utilised various players in such a role to try and bridge the gap between now and the upcoming January transfer window.

Richarlison operated in such a role in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United, with the Brazilian struggling to adapt to operating in a somewhat unfamiliar position.

Johnson himself has even filled the void over the last couple of months, but like the aforementioned star, he’s been unable to nail such a role down as his own.

His performances in such an area will no doubt have contributed to his recent slump in form, with the Welshman being kicked out of his right-sided role after Mohammed Kudus’ arrival.

However, the 24-year-old could find his career in North London over the coming months, especially if winger Wilson Odobert is able to build up a strong run of starts in the first team.

The Frenchman joined the Lilywhites in a £25m deal from Burnley last summer, but has often had to bide his time for an impact in the first-team over the last 18 months.

The 20-year-old only made a total of 16 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites last season, but still managed to net his first top-flight goal against West Ham United.

Odobert, who’s been described as “a mixture of Barcola and Aaron Lennon” by one Sky Sports analyst, also managed to net two goals during the Europa League-winning campaign, managing to provide the goods when called upon by Ange Postecoglou.

However, since Frank’s arrival during the off-season, he’s only made three starts in the Premier League, whilst also making just seven appearances off the bench.

He’s only appeared for a total of 379 league minutes to date, with the manager desperately needing to show more faith in the youngster in the months ahead.

Frank did allow Odobert the chance to shine against United on Saturday, with the Frenchman taking full advantage of the chance handed his way by the manager.

He registered an assist for Richarlison after coming on at the break to replace compatriot Randal Kolo Muani, who was replaced at the break after fracturing his jaw.

Despite only featuring for 45 minutes, Odobert did manage to complete the most dribbles of any player on the pitch (2), whilst also creating the most chances (3).

He also managed to complete 100% of the passes he attempted, with such a cameo showcasing to the manager why he should he starting in North London on a regular basis.

As a result, Johnson will certainly be lucky to maintain his starting role, with the Welshman now extremely likely to drop down to the substitutes bench in the coming games.

Given his mammoth sum, the hierarchy may now look to cash in on his services in the winter to try and avoid losing a whole heap on their £47.5m investment for his signature.