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Luton Town have completed the signing of Birmingham City's Tahith Chong, with the former Manchester United man arriving as the club's third signing of this summer transfer window.
Chong has captivated fans of the championship (especially us Luton fans who have seen Chong at the Kenny) with his searing pace, technical talents, and unshakable drive. I will delve into Chong's skills, weaknesses, and the possible role he can have in the next years. With that in mind, I'm going to base this analysis on a central midfield position as that's presumably where he'll start for Rob Edwards.
Chong, who is only 23-years-old, has already shown signs of his enormous potential. His breakthrough came while he was still a young player at Manchester United, where he frequently impressed with his lightning-quick pace and skill in taking on defenders. Following this he was given opportunities to play for the senior team, participating in both the Europa League and the Premier League.
Chong's most notable characteristic is his lightning-fast speed. He has the potential to be a nightmare for opposing opponents when combined with his superb dribbling talents, his close ball control and composure one-on-one make him an incredibly dangerous attacking threat. Chong ranks highly with successful take-ons with 1.21 per 90 (83rd percentile) and unsurprisingly ranks in the 82nd percentile (2.16) for progressive carries per 90. Edwards has commented on several occasions that he wants to improve in transition, and I think Chong will significantly help with this.
Although Chong's inherent talents are obvious, there are still a couple of aspects of his game that he can improve. His understanding of the defensive phases of the game is one area that could use development, strengthening his ability to make an interception or block will contribute to helping him become a more well-rounded player. When compared to other Championship midfielders across the 2022–23 season, he has an interceptions rate of 0.40 per 90 (9th percentile) and a blocking rate of 0.70 per 90, which places him in the 7th percentile - something that will need definite advancement. A noteworthy point however is that Chong ranks in the 91st percentile (0.48 per 90) for tackles in the attacking third, a key competent to our high pressing system.
With this potential signing, the board shows not only how eager and determined they are to compete at the highest level, but also how confident they are in the player's immense potential. I'm sure that our supporters are eagerly awaiting the official announcement of the signing and the significant contribution that this historic signing is bound to make on the pitch.
Featured image: Copyright of Gareth Owen/LTFC