Sasa Kalajdzic: the potential Spurs target with lofty ambitions

England take on Austria in a Euro 2020 warm-up friendly tonight at the Riverside - and it's worth keeping an eye out for opposing striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

Stuttgart forward Kalajdzic has caught the eye at Stuttgart this season with 16 goals in the Bundesliga and he is widely tipped to make an impact at the Euros this summer. 

Here's a quick player profile with all you need to know about the 23-year-old talent, who has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs including Tottenham. 

The Lowdown: Signed from Austrian outfit Admira Wacker at the beginning of 2019/20, the Kalajdzic initially struggled for game time, making just six appearances and finding the net only once in his debut season in the Bundesliga.

However, the appointment of Pellegrino Matarazzo in January 2020 helped the youngster's development and he has burst onto the scene this season.

Kalajdzic started the season in style - netting three goals in the first three Bundesliga games - and he continued to find the net, bagging 16 goals in 33 league appearances for Stuttgart in 2020/21.

The imposing forward's form has propelled him onto the international stage. He won his first cap for Austria in October, but really made his mark in the last batch of World Cup qualifying games: scoring three goals in three games.

Kalajdzic finished last season as the sixth best goalscorer in the German top flight. When you consider the names ahead of him in the goal charts, he's got plenty to aspire to: the prolific Robert Lewandowski, Golden Boy winner Erling Haaland, Portuguese international André Silva, Hoffenhheim's Andrej Kramaric and Wolfsburg's Wout Weghorst the only players to outscore him this season.

Attributes: According to the league's official website, Kalajdzic is the tallest player in the Bundesliga at 6'5". The Austrian is adept at using this height advantage and would naturally suit teams who play a direct style of football. His statistics this season reveal just how effective he is in the air - with 50% of Kalajdzic's Bundesliga goals scored with his head (seven out of 14).

It's early days for the 23-year-old, but his displays this season suggest Kalajdzic has a real killer instinct in the box and excels at attacking the ball and timing his runs. There's also been plenty of evidence of his positional intelligence, his movement causing defenders problems during his breakthrough campaign. 

Although Stuttgart have the option to play direct football targeted at Kalajdzic, the German side also like to play through the thirds and, in these situations, he has demonstrated the touch and technique to link play and get involved in his team's build-up.

Comparable Players: It's perhaps inevitable that comparisons will be made between Kalajdzic and former England international Peter Crouch. The physicality, height and goal threat of both players is definitely similar. 

Key Stat: Across UEFA's 'Top 5' leagues, Sasa Kalajdzic has scored more headed goals than any player (7).

Sasa #Kalajdzic has scored seven of his 14 goals this season with his head. No other #VfB player has ever registered more headed goals in one season! 👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/fd3k0jJjqT

— VfB Stuttgart_int (@VfB_int) April 12, 2021

Linked With: Most recently, the Austrian has been linked to Tottenham - as he offers a cheaper striking option than Spurs' current loanee Carlos Vinicius, who looks set to return to his parent club Benfica after spending last season on loan in North London. 

However, other reports have thrown an array of other clubs into the mix - with Liverpool, West Ham, RB Leipzig and AS Roma all reportedly showing an interest in Kalajdzic.

A potential move to Anfield definitely appeals to the player, as Kalajdzic declared his affection for Liverpool in a recent interview with German newspaper Bild stating: “I feel completely at home at VfB, but it would be a really tough decision because I really like Liverpool.

“This club is simply special to me. When I was a kid, I saw the Champions League final in 2005 when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against Milan to win. That gripped me.

“The last time I went to a Liverpool game with my brother, I really kitted myself out: I bought myself a scarf, jersey, cap and a mug.”

Were Jurgen Klopp to come calling, there seems little doubt where the Austrian would like to go!

Playmaker Potential Score: 8/10. His form over recent months has certainly highlighted Kalajdzic as one to watch, and he looks to have the potential to play for a top club across any of Europe's top five leagues if he continues to evolve and, most importantly, score goals. 

Profile

Name: Sasa Kalajdzic
Position: Striker
Date of Birth: 07 July 1997
Team and Number: Stuttgart, #9
Nationality: Austrian