The progress of Mattias Svanberg has turned eyes from around Europe, especially England, with likes of Arsenal and Tottenham playing yet another tug of war for yet another Bologna player interested as Manchester City circles around him as well.
The midfielder operates in a 4-4-2 formation for Bologna and in a 3-4-2-1 for the national team. This experience has given him a foray into two different formations, and his qualities are, thus, varied. One thing, however, that must be noted is that he does not have a single outstanding quality. Then again, he has not been allowed to develop one yet.
His passing could be improved upon, especially given his type of attempts. He is the progressive midfielder in a double pivot but always tries to hit the long ball and distribute it to the wingers or the frontmen, which is more the job of the deep-lying playmaker beside him. Additionally, he is not particularly an expert at intercepting passes or pressuring the opponent into making a mistake or conceding possession. He can run the hard yards, but his posture and balance allow opponents to go through him with ease.
Svanberg is a player that gets alive in the final third on either end of the pitch. He loves taking a shot on because he is good at it. This season, the youngster is in the 95th percentile of Non-penalty goals for players functioning in the same area as him. He is also in the 97th percentile of total shots taken and in the 93rd percentile of non-penalty goals plus assists. The Swede enjoys taking up positions just outside the box, and he finds the pocket of spaces to take the exquisite long-rangers he has been infamous for this season. He also finds a way to maneuver past defenders if the opposition closes him down quickly. It is the determination and desire that count, and he is full of it.
Moreover, Mattias Svanberg’s numbers for receiving passes in the attacking phase of the game are increasing by the day. This is because he also thrives on picking the pass before his teammates deliver the final pass. Sort of a ‘pre-assist’, Svanberg occupies the area beyond the first line of the opposition midfield and quickly turns and looks up to find a runner. He times his short passes brilliantly, and more often than not, finds his teammate. Mattias always had a knack for playing through balls from his time in Malmo, where they operated in a free-flowing full-throttle attacking system. He is used to players moving around him constantly rather than staying ideal.
Similarly, his defensive qualities may not be top-notch, but his contributions in and around the penalty box often bail Bologna out of tough situations. He sits back when the opposition attack rather than being the first man out and closing down a runner or the player receiving a pass. It may be easy to get past him, but he is certainly a hard worker and often blocks shots from outside the box while his 6’1 stature also allows him to be an aerial presence. Often engaging in winning the second ball, he times his jumps well and tries to head the ball down rather than clearing it away. He also has a unique sense of sniffing out danger and man-marking the crucial player in the box during a set-piece. Bologna shot-stopper, Lukasz Skorupski, is not the tallest goalkeeper in the league and often needs help at the first post during corners. Svanberg, more often than not, is the first man to head the ball away and divert the danger.
All-in-all, Mattias Svanberg is a top prospect, and considering Fabio Paratici‘s ties in Italy – Spurs should be able to pull this one off. According to inews, Tottenham are ready to make the 24-year-old Antonio Conte’s first signing. As relayed by inews, “He’s probably one of the top four or five No 8’s in Europe – that’s how good he is. Spurs already know him very, very well because of the Italians involved in the club now.”
Svanberg has made 114 appearances for Bologna, and fifteen for Sweden. Many compare his traits to that of Teun Koopmeiners and Ilkay Gundogan. He could turn out to be a fine fine signing if Paratici can pull this one off.
