‘Outstandingly consistent’: Garth Crooks raves about reported Spurs target

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Reported Tottenham Hotspur target Willian has been praised by Spurs legend and BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks for his latest performance.

The Chelsea and Brazil midfielder has been linked with Tottenham for a number of months now.

Goal.com claimed earlier this month that Frank Lampard is fearful of losing Willian to Spurs or North London rivals Arsenal, and has sought to reopen contract talks.

Willian has plied his trade for the West Londoners since 2013, when he joined from Anzhi Makhachkala in a reported £30million move (BBC Sport).

The 31-year-old has made upwards of 330 appearances for Chelsea in which he has claimed 63 goals and 62 assists, according to Transfermarkt.

Willian has been in great form over the past few weeks and was once again superb as Chelsea ran out 3-2 winners at Crystal Palace, prompting Crooks to once again name him in his Team of the Week.

“I think Yaya Toure’s done it, Steven Gerrard’s definitely done it and I know Kevin de Bruyne and Virgil van Dijk have done it,” Crooks wrote on BBC Sport. “All have made my team of the week on three consecutive occasions. In fact Van Dijk might even have made it on four.

“Willian now joins this outstandingly consistent group of players. The Brazilian was at the heart of yet another successful performance by Chelsea, this time against Crystal Palace.

“Frank Lampard needs to think long and hard before letting Willian leave Stamford Bridge. I don’t think Ross Barkley, Mason Mount or Ruben Loftus-Cheek are ready to replace him so he’d better have someone in mind who can.”

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The Brazilian is an incredibly talented player – fast, agile, hard-working and technically gifted, with a track record of pulling off exciting feints and tricks to the point that pundits were questioning whether he, and not Eden Hazard, was Chelsea’s most skilful player of the two.

To get such a talent on a free transfer would be quite a coup for Spurs, and even though Willian is 31, he looks to have plenty of top-level years in him yet, as shown by his latest run of consistently great displays in the top flight.