Over the last few months, it has become clear that Tottenham have been in need of a striker. Richarlison stepped up remarkably during the absence of skipper Heung-Min Son, scoring 4 goals in the 3 games that Son was away (Transfermarkt).
Whilst 10 goals in 23 league games is a respectable return, it is nowhere near the numbers Spurs fans grew used to with Harry Kane in recent years and if Tottenham are to compete going forward, they need a striker who can break or come near to that 20-goal mark.
Although it will be nearly impossible to sign a player who can replicate Kane’s goalscoring and overall footballing ability, here are a few players who I think if Tottenham were to sign could elevate us to the next level.
Option 1: Santiago Gimenez
The first target I believe Spurs could have a serious look at is Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez. The Lilywhites were rumoured to have been interested in the 22-year-old Mexican before, and for good reason. In 57 Eredivisie appearances, Gimenez has converted 36 times whilst also tallying 7 assists along the way (Transfermarkt).
One of Gimenez’s stand-out strengths is his aerial threat. His leap with a combination of his build is what puts him a level above the rest. This has enabled him to score 9 headers in Eredivisie games (Transfermarkt). That equates to exactly a quarter of his goals.
According to sources, the Rotterdam club’s asking price to let Gimenez leave would have to be well over the record-breaking Eredivisie sum paid for Antony back in 2022, standing at £86 million (SkySports).
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Signing Gimenez would be a big risk given the asking price set by Feyenoord. However, his talent is unquestionable and if he were to replicate his form set in the Netherlands, he could prove to be worth that risk.
Option 2: Joshua Zirkzee
Another option Tottenham could look at is Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee. The 22-year-old joined the Italian side in the summer of 2022 for a fee of around £7.2 million (Transfermarkt).
He struggled in his first season in Italy, registering just 2 goals in 19 league games. However, this year Zirkzee looks like a completely different player. So far this season the Dutchman has scored 10 Serie A goals, which equates to roughly 25% of Bologna’s goals this campaign (Sky Sports).
It’s also no surprise that Bologna currently sit in 4th place, racking up the same number of points at this stage of the season as they did in the entirety of the 22/23 season. It makes one wonder what Zirkzee could achieve in an Ange Postecoglou side that have scored 59 goals this league campaign (Sky Sports)
Standing at 6’4’, the forward offers aerial presence whilst still possessing dribbling ability. His quick acceleration and strength allow him to breeze past players and drive his team forward.
Reports say there is a release clause in Zirkzee’s contract that is roughly £34.4 million (Fabrizio Romano), which in today’s market is a relatively low fee for someone of his quality. With Zirkzee also being young, there’s plenty of room for growth and development in this young, exciting Spurs side.
Option 3: Lautaro Martinez
One of the more unrealistic names on this list but a player who we have been linked with in the past is Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.
Over recent seasons, Martinez has earned himself the reputation of being one of the world’s best strikers, and his stats back this up. 27 goal contributions in 26 games (Transfermarkt) in the Serie A has helped to put his side 14 points clear at the top of the Serie A table (Sky Sports).
It’s hard to write down all the strengths that come with a player of Martinez’s calibre, as there are so many, but the World Cup-winning striker has an immense ball-striking ability and quick reactions to stray balls in and around the penalty area, making him a menace in the box.
With his contract at Inter expiring in the summer of 2026, his asking price has been set at a steep £80 million (Sempre Inter), a fee that would smash the current club record of £55 million paid for Tanguy Ndombele in 2019 if Tottenham were to buy him (Transfermarkt).
Although the figure seems unrealistic, the signing of Martinez would be a huge statement. Martinez would make an instant impact and significantly improve the team, as opposed to the usual transfer strategy of buying young players with potential. We would also have to ensure we could offer Champions League football to even make him consider a move.
Option 4: Dusan Vlahovic
Sticking with the theme of strikers from the Serie A, an alternative target could be Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian international made the switch to Turin from Florence back in 2022 for a steep £68.6 million (Transfermarkt).
At first, Vlahovic struggled to adapt to playing for the Old Lady, scoring an underwhelming 14 goals in 42 games. However, with 15 goals so far this season in 27 games (Transfermarkt), the 23-year-old seems to have found his scoring boots.
Once again Vlahovic is a striker who offers aerial presence. Notorious for being incredibly strong, Vlahovic works well with his back towards goal allowing him to either use his strength and turn or pass it to a player making a run in behind.
He’s also a talented freekick taker, which would enable Spurs to have different options of using either Vlahovic, Maddison or Son.
Like Martinez, his contract expires in the summer of 2026 and with Juventus having ongoing FFP troubles, the Italian side set an asking price at the start of the season of £50 million (Football London).
Although Juventus director Giuntoll stated that the striker was not for sale in the latest January window (Fabrizio Romano), he could be well worth a look as a marque summer signing.
Option 5: Jonathan David
The final candidate for Tottenham’s much-needed striker spot is Jonathan David. Despite only turning 24 in January, David has become a household name in the Ligue 1 thanks to top performances in the last couple of years.
The Canadian joined Lille from KAA Gent back in 2020 for an estimated £23 million and in that time has scored 80 goals in 173 appearances (Transfermarkt), roughly working out to just under a goal every 2 games.
Whilst this is a respectable return, it’s been mainly in the last 2 seasons where David has cemented himself as one of Europe’s top strikers. David has scored 48 times in 77 games for Lille and assisted a further 11, taking his goal contribution total to 59 goals (Transfermarkt), a remarkable record.
David is a quick forward who is particularly strong on both feet. By being able to switch the ball over onto his weaker foot and still pose a big threat on goal, he becomes a handful for defenders to play against.
It was reported that the fee to acquire David’s services last summer was set at around £55 million (Fabrizio Romano). However, with no buyers and David’s contract set to expire next summer, if he doesn’t sign a new deal soon then Lille could be forced to sell for much cheaper than they had hoped.
Conclusion:
Concluding this opinion article, whoever we sign cannot be a player that will come good in a few years. If we carry on sticking to this transfer policy, I’m afraid we will be left behind even further by our rivals.
We need a striker that is capable of taking us to the next level straight away and I think a certain Canadian in Ligue 1 is capable of doing that.
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