Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed whether Porto striker Samu Aghehowa is a realistic target for Tottenham in January.
Over the last few weeks, Spurs Web has relayed several reports stating that Spurs are keeping an eye on Aghehowa, who is continuing to find the back of the net with astonishing regularity at Porto this season.
According to some sources, the Tottenham recruitment department have already taken steps towards signing the Porto man, with Fabio Paratici alleged to be a big fan of the 21-year-old.
It has been reported by some sources over recent weeks that Porto would be willing to sell Aghehowa for £70m in January, but that is unlikely to be the case, according to a new update.
Tottenham have to break the bank for Samu Aghehowa in January
Journalist Ben Jacobs has now confirmed that signing a striker and a left-winger is at the top of Tottenham’s agenda for the next two transfer windows.
However, he suggested that the Lilywhites may have to shatter their transfer record to land Aghehowa in January and added that a deal for the Spain international would be difficult to complete mid-season.
Jacobs told BetWay: “Tottenham Hotspur want another striker and likely somebody in the number nine mould, and they could still add a left winger as well. I think it’s going to be difficult for anybody to get Samu mid-season without paying above the odds.
“The release clause, I don’t think, is in play here because it’s understood to be around €100m (£87.3m), so no club is really entertaining triggering that.
“Samu Aghehowa would be expensive for Tottenham mid-season and, at this stage, I think the players’ side are just trying to understand whether anybody might be prepared to do something mid-season. It would likely take in excess of €80m (£70m), if not €90m (£78.6m), to start a conversation with Porto mid-season.
“And the other thing is that the player himself is very loyal to Porto, because he almost had a move to Chelsea in the summer, where Conor Gallagher went to Atletico Madrid and Chelsea had arranged a medical for Samu as part of a deal that would see him go the other way. Then at the last minute, Chelsea pivoted to Joao Felix and Samu was kind of left in limbo and he subsequently went to Porto, and now he’s settled and scoring.
“From what I gather, he’s not the kind of player agitating for a move away. He’s highly appreciative of how Porto acted and what they’ve done for his career, after he was kind of left in limbo, thinking that he was going to get the Chelsea move.
“So then, if you fast forward to the summer, Newcastle enquired about Samu, before finally deciding that they were going to go instead for Nick Woltemade, and they’ve added Yoane Wissa as well. I think it is unlikely that Newcastle would return, but the reason why that’s important in the context of Spurs is that when they made that enquiry to Newcastle, they were also quoted this number of between 80 and 90 million euros.
“In terms of January and Spurs, to go for a player like Samu, who’s young and hasn’t played in the Premier League, I think for January anyway, would be seen as too high for them to proceed.”
Spurs could try to sign two familiar names in the summer
Jacobs suggested that, despite Harry Kane suggesting that he is happy at Bayern Munich, Tottenham could try to re-sign their record goalscorer next summer as his release clause remains valid.
He suggested that Frank may also consider an Ivan Toney reunion at the North London club at the end of the season.
Jacobs added: “Certainly, by the summer, Tottenham will add another number nine. We hear a lot about a Harry Kane return. Even though Kane keeps saying that he’s only focused on Bayern, there is actually a release clause for the summer of €65m (£56.8m) that has to be triggered in January.
“So, we have a slightly strange situation with Kane where if people want to try their luck, even though he is intimating he might extend at Bayern, and even though Kane will continue to bat off any interest until after the World Cup, before clarifying his future. If somebody specifically wants Kane’s release clause, they have to take steps in January to trigger that specifically for the summer.
“So that’s a slightly atypical transfer, and we may get a bit more clarity on Kane’s future in the early part of the year, even though there’s no suggestion that he will move mid-season. Thomas Frank has said that Harry Kane is very welcome back at Tottenham Hotspur, so we’ll have to understand whether Spurs take any steps on that front in the winter market.
“There are a lot of links as well with Ivan Toney that have been put out there because of the Thomas Frank connection. But again, my understanding is that Al-Ahli doesn’t want to let Toney go mid-season, so a move away from Saudi Arabia is unlikely, and a move back to England for Toney is difficult because of the tax implications as well.
“But as I said before, what’s absolutely true is that Tottenham are starting to draw up a list of number nines for 2026 because they do need reinforcements with Dominic Solanke injured. Richarlison is playing and scoring but not really having much other support aside from Kolo Muani. So, I think left wing and striker will be two positional priorities for Tottenham in 2026.”