If you ask any Tottenham Hotspur fan what period in recent times was the most enjoyable and successful, almost every individual would say the run from 2015–19.

The core of that success involved the likes of Heung-min Son, Harry Kane, and Jan Vertonghen, but there was one player who was just as influential.

The player in question is Christian Eriksen, who featured in 305 matches for the Lilywhites, scoring 69 times and providing 90 assists.

New boss Ange Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his midfield this summer, and on his radar is a highly-rated Eriksen clone.

Spurs’ search for a new midfielder

As per a recent report from Ben Jacobs via CaughtOffside, Spurs are seriously interested in signing Giorgiy Sudakov.

The Ukrainian star plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, who are known to be difficult to deal with in regards to transfers.

Despite having an incredible £128m release clause in his contract, it’s reported that a fee of around £60m will likely be enough to secure his services in the summer.

However, if Spurs do go ahead with attempting to sign the midfielder, they will face competition from European giants such as Inter and Juventus.

Sudakov would be a James Maddison rival

James Maddison’s start to life at Tottenham couldn’t have gone any smoother, with the £40m man scoring twice and assisting twice in his first four league matches.

However, an injury against Chelsea earlier this season saw him miss 13 games of action, and since then, he’s not been quite as impactful, failing to register a goal contribution in his last five matches.

Nonetheless, the interest in Sudakov highlights one of two things: either Postecoglou isn’t entirely happy with Maddison being his first choice number ten, or he intends to tweak the system next season.

The 21-year-old star is an attacking midfielder by trade, but he’s already shown that he can comfortably play as a left midfielder or slightly deeper as a box-to-box this season.

As you can see by the table above, the number 10 has shown that he can compete against the very best, as he starred in the Champions League against Barcelona earlier this season.

Playing away to Barca is often a daunting prospect for the most experienced players, but Sudakov proved that he’s not afraid of any challenge, as he was constantly a threat against the La Liga side.

What this game highlighted in particular was that the Ukraine star doesn’t only create, but he’s also a goal-scorer. The fact that he’s netted seven goals in 28 appearances this season further supports that.

Another aspect that was impressive was the way he dazzled the Barca midfield with his dribbling, completing 100% of his take-ons, which certainly highlights his technical ability.

Furthermore, the fact that he had 62 touches and completed 40 passes proves that he’s an extremely confident individual who is desperate to put his stamp on the game, which is what Tottenham need right now in particular.

What makes this potential move even more interesting is the fact that football scout Jacek Kulig has previously compared Sudakov to Eriksen, with the player's range of passing, creativity, and set piece mastery alike.

Sudakov, therefore, is most definitely a promising talent, but surely Spurs wouldn’t spend £60m on a Maddison backup? Either way, the thought of welcoming another Eriksen to north London will be a tantalising one.