The Who
Edmond Fayçal Tapsoba (24)
Height: 6’4”
Top speed this season: 32.74km/h
(to compare Sadio Mane 32.96km/h)
Right footed
Burkina Faso international, plays for Bayer Leverkusen
Speaks English, Portuguese, French & some Spanish + German
The Why
Tall, yet possess a lot of pace for a CB, good fit for Jurgen Klopps high line setup
A playmaking CB, a play who is in 85th percentile for progressive passes & 80th percentile for progressive carries, he is one that can move the ball up the pitch
like a playmaker. His shot creating actions are in the 77th percentile while his
xAG is in 72nd percentile. (data via fbref)
Presently 8th in the Bundesliga for most passes into final third
In the 76th percentile for successful take ons (data via fbref)
Strong in the air, has the second most aerial duels won to date for Bayer Leverkusen
linguistically, easier adaptation with coach and team mates
Very calm demeanor, emotionally composed player under pressure
Was a top CB in Portuguese liga before settling int to Bundesliga, important as players dont always adapt well between leagues
Cost. Given a lot of our spend with go on upgrading midfield his price tag wont break the bank yet there is so much upside to his continued development under a top coach & playing with the likes of Virgil van Dijk.
Data Viz
Tapsoba compared to Ibrahima Konate (data and viz by Sofascore.com)