From Brighton darling to Tottenham exile: Where it all went wrong for Yves Bissouma
Yves Bissouma was once the poster-boy for the next generation of Tottenham midfielders yet his absences and poor application have undermined his potential.
The arrival of Thomas Frank from Brentford to Tottenham provided all players at the club with renewed hope to push their way into the first team and impress the new gaffer after Ange Postecoglou’s exit.
Yet, for the Malian, this has not been the case after Bissouma was left out of Tottenham’s UEFA Super Cup squad to face PSG due to repeated lateness over the course of pre-season.
Seemingly exiled, Football Insider exclusively revealed that Everton want to sign Bissouma from Tottenham to bolster the defensive midfield role.
However, it is Turkish side Galatasaray who have taken the lead to bring in the number eight on a season-long loan with an option to buy, although that deal is looking to be on the verge of collapsing itself, summing up the 28-year-old’s recent footballing mishaps at Tottenham.
Galatasaray unimpressed with Yves Bissouma as Tottenham look to cut ties
According to an update from Sacha Tavolieri (28 August), despite an agreement being in place between the two clubs, the “move might ultimately fall through”.
This stems from the Turkish outfit’s concern over the former Brighton midfielder’s fitness as the Lions want a deep-lying player ready for action straight away.
The news does not surprise me in any shape or form given the Mali international has missed 25 games across three seasons for the Lilywhites due to injury.
| Yves Bissouma periods of absence through injury or suspension at Tottenham | Games missed |
| 2022-23 | 18 |
| 2023-24 | 10 |
| 2024-25 | 6 |
| Total | 34 |
This does not even take into consideration his poor disciplinary record in north London where the 28-year-old has been absent for nine games due to red cards, yellow card accumulations or off-field issues.
Signed for a reported £25million plus add-ons (BBC Sport), the investment in his potential has been completely wasted with his performances on the pitch inconsistent and unreliable.
Brighton prodigy who never reached his high ceiling
I vividly remember when we brought in Bissouma from the Seagulls as the man to revamp our below-par midfield under Antonio Conte.
During his four seasons on the south coast, the ex-Lille midfielder oozed confidence on the ball, turning out of trouble with ease.
Indeed, the turbulent debut campaign for the Malian under the Italian can perhaps be forgiven due to the erratic nature of the former Chelsea boss.
However, when Postecoglou restored some balance to the Lilywhites at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Bissouma was given a pivotal role as the anchor of the Australian’s midfield.
The 28-year-old began the campaign on-fire, but a petulant sending off against Luton highlighted his lack of discipline and focus during games, setting the bar for how the rest of his time in North London would pan out.
His deal with Galatasaray falling through due to not being physically prepared parallels what prevented the five-foot-eleven maestro reaching his potential at Spurs.
A seemingly-poor attitude, frequent distractions, and an appalling level of inconsistency across three seasons has shown why Tottenham want to part ways with the number eight and, as a fan, I’m totally onboard with the decision.