https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...laymaker-like-chelseas-hakim-ziyech-cbf9bfbbz
It's clear what type of player Rafael van der Vaart thinks we should be targeting:
"“I think Tottenham has lost a bit of its DNA,” he says. “I miss them playing with that same passion for club and fans, I miss the pretty football. I see a team who wants to get results and that’s fine, but hey, if you think about Tottenham you think about eventful, goal-rich matches. You think about pretty and gracious football, about Villa, Ardiles, Ginola, Hoddle and Gascoigne. They showed you can win trophies with playing beautiful football.
Now, they don’t win silverware, but I’m not often entertained either. Too much is depending on Son Heung-min and Harry Kane. Who is the creative man at Tottenham? Since Christian Eriksen left there is no such player.
Van der Vaart identifies one player who he thinks can make a big difference for Tottenham in that respect. Hakim Ziyech scored in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Spurs and Van der Vaart believes he is the type of player Conte should be targeting. I’ve been saying that for some time now, but I believe Ziyech is the type of player who could make a big impact in the current Spurs team,” he says. “With a playmaker like him, chances are things will start to go much better. Then Son doesn’t have to go deep to collect the ball and Kane can just remain up front as a striker as well. Because they miss someone who can feed them those balls. Now they have to work too hard.”
Although the former Dutch international missed a certain blend of exciting football in recent times, he thinks Conte could be the right man for the club. “I don’t know him too well, but you can see the players go through fire and water for him. I find that really important, he is really enthusiastic and energetic on the touchline.
“So that’s good, but they just miss that one creative midfielder. If you look to Son and Kane, they have to do too much on the pitch. Kane should be only focusing on scoring goals, but now I sometimes have the feeling he is playing in a number 10 role. That shouldn’t be the case.”