Tottenham prepare £4m offer for Premier League midfielder as Scott Parker packs his bags - statistics

Don't worry Tottenham fans, Andre Villas-Boas has the perfect plan to help them break the top four barrier next season. The Express are reporting that the first step of that plan is to, err, make a £4m bid for Manchester City's Gareth Barry...

Okay, Barry is not the most eye-pleasing player to watch in the Premier League, nor is he particularly skilled in any real way. In fact, if you are getting rid of Scott Parker in favour of more athletic players in your midfield then Barry is probably the last person you want to replace him with. Spurs have an abundance of talent in the middle of the park but are on the search for that final piece of the puzzle in the shape of a creative outlet who can also provide defensive cover. Gareth Barry is not that.

He played 31 games last season for City and scored a single goal against relegated Reading and has a very similar statistics as Parker accumulated in his 21 games played. They both won 59% of their attempted duels, the same average pass distance of 16m and even their completed passes are tight - Barry on 86% and Parker 84%.

May the battle of the sluggish defensive midfielders commence. 

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