Who is Edmond Tapsoba? The classy centre-back linked with Arsenal and Tottenham
Edmond Tapsoba might not be hogging the headlines every day, but he could prove something of a hidden gem during the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Bayer Leverkusen star has been linked with both Arsenal and Tottenham in recent weeks, and FootballTransfers’ chief correspondent Jacque Talbot explains why he is a centre-back packed full of potential.
Bayer Leverkusen's performance in the Bundesliga in recent years has largely been attributed to the attacking talents of players like Florian Wirtz, Patrick Schick and Moussa Diaby, but Edmond Tapsoba has been a huge part of their success as well.
He joined Leverkusen in the January transfer window of the 2019/20 season, performing well under coach Gerardo Seoane and also latterly for his successor Xabi Alonso.
Tapsoba immediately bolstered Leverkusen's defensive solidity as well as improving their ability to play out from the back. A ball-playing centre-back, he is able to recycle the ball superbly from deep positions.
Tapsoba’s composed nature on the ball allows him to resist opposition challenges and he consistently looks to keep the ball on the ground with unerring accuracy in his passing.
Edmond Tapsoba Transfer Value: How much is he worth?
We have the Burkina Faso international sitting on an xTV (Expected Transfer Value) of €32.3million right now though he has peaked at €36.4m in the past.
The 24-year-old has been a huge asset for Bayer - they had a rocky start to their current campaign, but since Alonso took over they have crept up the table to finish sixth in the Bundesliga.
Tapsoba is every bit a ball-playing centre-back: it's not just passes cutting through the middle of the pitch, he also has the superb ability to execute switch passes, - or 'Hollywood balls' as some like to call them.
This means once a turnover is forced, and Bayer can get the ball to Tapsoba, they can find themselves attacking with a dangerous counter in a matter of seconds. Diaby for example has very much enjoyed his team-mate's brilliant passing to the final third.
Will Tapsoba leave Leverkusen this summer?
In terms of his future, the defender has a number of options, not least because his agent is former Barcelona and Portugal star Deco.
Tapsoba spoke to Bulinews about his famous agent, explaining: "Everybody knows he was a great player. He gives me a lot of advice, and we usually talk after each game. He tells me what I should continue doing and what I can do better."
Tapsoba also mentioned his future at Bayer and whether a move away would intrigue him. He reasoned: "I’ve told him [Deco] that I don’t really want to know about things that are not clear.
“He’s trying not to disturb me and to let me focus on my game. It’s only if something is really, really clear that he’ll call me, and then we’ll make the right decision together."
Tapsoba is a mix of both a ball-playing and a ball-winning defender - whichever club manages to buy him one day will be getting a well-rounded player.
According to our performance metrics, his strengths lie in his passing - especially with build-up and passes into the final third. He is also a stand-out performer in terms of carries, dribbling past opponents and creating overloads.
Defensively, Tapsoba is good at tackles and recoveries in his own third. He also excels with his defensive positioning, which means he is great at reading the game and preventing opponents from crossing, dribbling and finishing.
Tapsoba vs Gvardiol an intriguing comparison
Edmond’s playing style is very similar to that of Josko Gvardiol, another young centre-back from the Bundesliga who is being linked with a major transfer in the summer. Comparing the two makes for an interesting read.
Gvardiol stands out in his passing and attempts - with some 30 more passes per 90 minutes than Tapsoba, which might be down to Leipzig being a more possession-based team than Bayer. But Tapsoba is much more ambitious, and attempts more chance-creation passes.
Tapsoba is one of the best in the league in his ability to run with the ball and he attempts more dribbles and carries per 90 minutes than Gvardiol. He is also more offensively involved and has more final-third receptions per 90 minutes (2.04 vs 1.39).
Defensively, they both press equally well. Tapsoba is better at tackles and interceptions but Gvardiol is better at blocking shots.
Comparing these two players in terms of their reputation and transfer potential just rams home the importance of media coverage.
Despite being pretty equal in terms of ability and potential, Leipzig’s defender is the one often linked with moves away to elite clubs. He speaks openly about possible transfers in the media while it appears that his agent or his club has often talked up their player - hence the constant links.
Tapsoba, meanwhile, is seldom linked with moves away from Bayer on football’s never-ending transfer rumour mill, though there has been reported interest from both Arsenal and Tottenham in recent weeks. There are not many reports revealing any release clause in his contract either.
While Gvardiol is widely perceived to be the better player of the two, that really isn’t the case. This means some lucky club could one day get a steal of a deal if they do land Tapsoba.