Brilliant Piece Thanks for Info ???I´ve followed Sander Berge since he at the tender age of 17 debuted for my local team, Vålerenga. I was a season ticket holder back then and have seen him in plenty matches both for club and country.
He´s a big lanky player, but with some kind of elegant air about him. He looks slow (because of his size), and slightly clumsy (because of his size), but even when he was still a teen, he had this calm coolness about him - and always getting out of situations with the ball at his feet. In some ways he resembles our Dembele in the way that he can just glide up the field with the ball - but he´s better at delivering the ball to team mates at the right time in stead of just running in to dead ends. And not as hot headed as Dembele can be defensively. He´s more like Kanté in that he just takes the ball from the opposition without really tackling them. But, alas, he´s about as dangerous as Dembele when it comes to scoring goals himself...
In some ways, because of his height and special kind of what looks like clumsy slow technique (which is just a trick of the eye and not reality), he also resembles another Norwegian, Tore Ansdre Flo that used to play up front for Chelsea during the Zola years. Or even our own Harry Kane when he started to feature for our first team.
As a 17 year old he took to the Norwegian premiership with ease. After less than two seasons he was sold to Belgian outfit Genk, and it was thought to be a big step for him and it would take time for him to settle. Before Christmas in his first season he was bossing the midfield there as well. As a 19 year old he debuted for the senior national team - and took that level straight away too. He´s just one of those players that automatically takes to each new level he´s been tested at. Saying that: the Norwegian top league is shit, and at a low European level. Same can be said of the Norwegian national side over the last decade or so (but things are looking brighter atm). The Belgium top division is probably high mid level in Europe (around or near the level of the top leagues in Holland, Portugal, Switzerland, etc.). The step to PL level is a tremendous one.
The captain of the Norwegian national side is Stefan Johansen of Fulham, a proven professional with several seasons for Celtic and Fulham. Johansen´s natural position is the deep playmaker role, but since Berge was introduced to the national side, he has been pushed to the right flank to give room to Berge. Just before the world cup Norway played Iceland (you know: the team that beat England in the Euros, that kept Argentina at bay in Russia) in Reykjavik. Berge had barely touched a ball since New Year´s because of a hamstring injury. It was Iceland´s last test before the world cup. Berge played about 60 minutes and totally bossed the midfield. Sigurdsson & co could barely get glimpses of the ball. As far as I can understand he´s been in full training since, getting fit over the summer. We all know that international friendlies isn´t exactly Premier League level of intensity. But I actually posted in the official Norwegian Tottenham Supporters´ Facebook group the very same night the question "what would Poch get out of Sander Berge if he came to Tottenham?".
I believe he might have it in him to be a good, maybe even a very good, player in the PL. The main reason for this belief is the way he handles himself off the pitch, on the training field, in interviews, etc. He strikes me as the same kind of very dedicated, very serious, and very humble kind of modern football athelte - very much in the same mould as our own Harry Kane. I´m not saying he´s on the same level as Kane, or ever will be; but he resmebles him in the way he acts and behaves, and the dedication. No cockiness or full of himself kind of antics so many young players showcases.
The fact that three times UEFA Euroleague winners and Champions League quarter finalists Sevilla has bid for him in several transfer windows already, and that Fiorentina reportedly sees him as a replacement for Milan Badelj, speak for it self in regards to the fact that he´s seen as a promising and possibly rising star in European football.
Personally I would love to see what Poch & co could get out of him. But at the same time I´m afraid he would be more one for the future than this upcoming season.
Oh, and I´ve seen some mention that he can play in defense or as a centre back. Not more than Dembele he can. He´s a deep lying central midfielder/playmaker, one to bring the ball forward either through deep runs or passing. He´s definitely not a replacement for a Toby A. If anything a understudy to Dembele and competition to Winks. Saying that, I could see him and Winks form a partnership in the machine room though.
All that said (sorry for all the words!): I´d much rather we get Kovacic, which is the finished article and could go straight into the starting XI. But as a player for the future - sure, sign him up!