Spurs Striker Situation

Up to last season Tottenham have been searching for a 20 goal-a-season striker since the departure of  Dimitar Berbatov in 2008. To become part of the Premiers leagues coveted “Top Four” and with it qualification for the Champions League. Your team needs a solid defence, creative talents in midfeild and a top class striker. Manchester United have Wayne Rooney, Arsenal have Robin van Persie, Liverpool had Fernado Torres and Chelsea had Dider Drogba at their helm. Manchester City’s strikers this season? Take your pick from their millionaire mercenary forwards. So Spurs need a clinical goalscorer to drive forwards and lament a spot in the top four. And then we found him. Powerful, skillful, a proven goal scorer, Emanuel Adebayor; last season with 18 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances for the Lilywhites. He proved to be a pivotal key to the first title challenging side we’ve had since Ledley King pulled on his first Spurs jersey. But as the Man City on loan striker’s contract is out, we need to make the deal permanent or sign a replacement. Here are some of the rumoured targets on Spurs fans summer wish lists.

Emanuel Adebayor – Manchester City:

This Togo target man would be an ideal signing and key to Tottenhams top four task. He fits the 4-4-1-1 formation perfectly as our target man, this was shown clearly when our mid-feild and forwards were all fit and on fire last season, we displayed our best form winning six games on the trot before Christmas. He has proven to tick the necessary 20 goals a season tally. (Apps. 37/ Gls. 18/ Ass. 13) He has already played in the team, and gelled well throughout the season with the players, so there is no time needed to adapt to a new squad. Manchester City are also looking to reduce wage budgets so will be keen to offload Adebayor. Some negitive aspects to this deal are Adebayor’s rumoured wage bill of around £120,000, £50,000 over Levy’s wage cap of £70,000.It is also rumoured that PSG are interested and have the financial power to outbid Spurs. The recent abdication of Harry Redknapp, leaving Spurs manager less could hinder a move to White Hart Lane.

Leandro Damião-International:

This hot Brazilian talent; aged 22 he would be a promising signing for the future. His goal tally is impressive for his club, netting the ball 68 times in 111 appearances, against questionable defences of the Brazilian league however. He is 6 ft 1 and strong so will fill spurs “target man” role perfectly with Van der Vaart filling in behind him. He also features regularly in the Brazilian national team. But young foreign stars can take a year or two adjusting to the Premier League, inexperience could prove a problem in a fight for forth place. But it is reported that a  €14 million transfer bid from Tottenham has already been rejected. This powerful poacher is valued at around €20 million by International, who intend to hold onto him or get top dollar for their key man.

Loïc Rémy-Marseille:

This French international is also a hot European summer target. Rémy already came close to signing for Spurs last January, so we know this story is more than your typical Spurs striker rumour. At 25 years old he’s hitting his professional peak with experience and passion. This season he has made 29 appearances for Marseille in the Ligue 1, scoring 12 goal and setting up 5. He’s got pace and is a clinical finisher and would thrive with support from Modric etc. Marseille finished 10^th in Ligue 1, with Rémy having an off-season, due to injury, lack of creavtive support and possibly complacancy with Marseille. This could lead to a cut price deal for Spurs. Tottenham would also be a step upwards for the French forwad. Valued at around €18 million, but with Marseille needing to sell due to financial problems. The 18 million could be a stumbling block for Daniel Levy, who will surely haggle and haunt the negociations with Marseille. Problems could arise as Rémy  has stated he wants Champions League football, an allure Tottenham no longer posses. We may have to tempt him to White Hart Lane with increased wages, a prospect that may be not so welcome to everybodies favourite hardline chairman.

So with Spurs No. 9 Pavlyuchenko, who promised so much and in the end delivered only mediocracy. He has been shipped off to pastures new last January to Lokomoitv Moscow, fetching around €8 million for Tottenhams transfer kitty. Also with some uncertainty surrounding Louis Saha’s future at the Lane and his quality and consistency. It leaves us with just Defoe; also rumoured to want a move away to a place in someones starting eleven, and the young Harry Kane heading the strike force. So to push on and fight for vital Champions League qualification next season, whoever Tottenhams new manager is to be, he must land at least one, if not two of these sought after stars or someone of their calibre. Could we pull of a snatch and grab on Adebayor, Rémy or Damiao, while the footballing world focuses on the Euros? C’mmon Levy get the cheque book out!

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