Kudus and Gibbs-White: Evidence of Tottenham's Ambition in 24 Hours

Tottenham Hotspur has finally begun to take action in the summer transfer window. After a month of silence regarding transfer rumors, they are reported to be on the verge of acquiring two players simultaneously for a total value of over 100 million pounds. This acquisition will mark the beginning of a new era for the club under Coach Thomas Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur, nicknamed "The White Lily," made a breakthrough in just 24 hours. According to The Athletic, they triggered Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White's £60 million (Rp 1.32 trillion) release clause on Thursday (July 10, 2025) evening WIB. The player will undergo a medical this Friday.

The good news emerged a day after the agreement between Tottenham and West Ham United to bring in the Ghana national team winger, Mohammed Kudus. The player, who can play in multiple positions, was acquired for a fee of around 55 million pounds (approximately 1.21 trillion rupiah).

The acquisition of Tottenham has successfully captured attention. Amidst the competition for players, they have secured two rising stars simultaneously. Moreover, the transfer is highly targeted. Profiles like Kudus and Gibbs-White are not present in the current Tottenham squad. Their strengths are needed in Frank's system.

Kudus, for instance, who can resolve the issue of the lack of a skilled ball carrier at Tottenham. When it comes to bravery in one-on-one duels with opponents, perhaps no one is more daring than Kudus. According to data from FBref, he is recorded as the player with the most attempts to dribble past opponents in the English Premier League last season (208 times).

A total of 92 attempts from Kudus ended successfully. Only Manchester City winger, Jeremy Doku, recorded a higher number of successful attempts (107 times). In comparison, the Tottenham player with the highest record in this aspect is Dejan Kulusevski (38 times).

Kudus's dribbling skills are truly impressive. The left-handed player is not only agile and fast, but also possesses excellent lower-body strength. "(Dribbling) is my main strength. I like taking risks to turn something from nothing into an opportunity," he told The Athletic in July 2024.

Remarkably, the 24-year-old player will provide flexibility for Tottenham. Kudus can play in three forward positions, even as an attacking midfielder. He played all those positions at West Ham last season, with the most appearances as a left winger (nine times).

Gibbs-White is no less impressive. The 25-year-old's performances have steadily improved over the past year, attracting the attention of the England national team. Unlike the versatile Kudus, he is more comfortable playing as an attacking midfielder or behind the striker. Nevertheless, his influence is very evident in attack.

Gibbs-White's uniqueness is related to the end product. He contributed 7 goals and 8 assists for Forest in the English League last season. This contribution of goals and assists ranks among the top eight in the midfielder position. He seems to have a knack for sensing opportunities during ball possession, especially in transition situations.

Gibbs-White is also skilled at dribbling the ball. The difference is that he is more capable of turning dribbles into opportunities. Five of his assists have come from dribbling actions. Only three players in the Premier League have been able to surpass Gibbs-White in that statistic. He does not focus on bypassing opponents, but rather on creating opportunities.

The presence of Kudus and Gibbs-White will also support the offensive playing vision of the new coach, Frank. This vision was conveyed by Frank in his first interview as the coach of Tottenham.

“I always like this saying: if you don't take a risk, it will be a risk in itself,” he said.

"So, I think it is important to be brave enough to take risks. If you do not bet on the risk of losing the ball, you will not create anything. We must be bold and trust each other. I will do my best to instill that. Without it, we will not achieve something great," Frank continued.

Before joining Tottenham, Frank had only managed Brentford, which was considered a mediocre team. However, Brentford is known as one of the most aggressive attacking teams. This is evidenced by their ranking as the fifth most productive team in the league last season, with a record of 66 goals, despite finishing in 10th place.

Together with Kudus and Gibbs-White, Frank will have more options in the front line of Tottenham, including in determining tactics and formations. Tottenham is also simultaneously rejuvenating the squad. They no longer need to rely solely on their 32-year-old star striker, Son Heung-min.

The problem is that the attacking line was not the main issue for Tottenham last season. They suffered due to poor defensive performance, conceding 65 goals, which was the fifth highest.

That is the reason why "Si Lili Putih" is only one rank away from the relegation zone. This issue has not been highlighted in this transfer window. (AP/REUTERS)