adminWith just one week remaining before the new Premier League campaign begins, Tottenham Hotspur are stepping up their efforts to strengthen their attacking options.
It has already been a significant summer for the Lilywhites, who have twice broken their transfer record while reshaping their midfield. Despite bringing in players such as Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, however, Roberto De Zerbi’s team still appear to lack a reliable cutting edge in the final third.
Spurs are actively working on solutions. Cody Gakpo and Savinho are among their main attacking targets, but the club also want to bring in an out-and-out striker before the transfer window closes in early September.
Victor Osimhen is one of the names on their radar, although Tottenham face strong competition from Arsenal for the Nigerian forward.
Why Osimhen Could Be Tottenham’s Best Striker Since Harry Kane
Three years ago, shortly after Ange Postecoglou took charge, Tottenham finally allowed Harry Kane to leave the club.
Kane’s departure had been coming for some time. The England captain had been linked with an exit for several years before Bayern Munich eventually secured his services.
Since moving to Germany, Kane has been in extraordinary form, scoring 146 goals in 147 appearances. During his Tottenham career, he found the net 280 times in 435 matches.
Replacing a striker of Kane’s calibre was always going to be extremely difficult, but few could have predicted the extent of Tottenham’s decline. Consecutive 17th-place finishes highlighted problems that went far beyond their struggles in front of goal.
De Zerbi’s side should be stronger this season, but adding a prolific striker could make a major difference. Osimhen arguably deserves to be their priority target.
Alongside Kane, the Nigerian has been one of Europe’s most productive forwards over the past five years. He has scored more than 10 goals in each of the last seven seasons, while also finding the net at least 18 times in each of the previous five campaigns.
Osimhen offers a combination of ruthless finishing, explosive pace and physical strength that makes him a nightmare for defenders. Compared with Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, the former Napoli star offers a completely different level of attacking threat.
Although Osimhen is now playing in Turkey with Galatasaray, his performances in the Champions League have shown that his quality remains unquestionable. The 27-year-old scored seven goals in 10 European appearances last season, including goals against Liverpool, Juventus, Ajax and Bodo/Glimt.
Unfortunately for Tottenham, Arsenal are also interested, while Galatasaray are unlikely to allow their star forward to leave for a bargain fee. Spurs may therefore need to consider alternative targets.
Tottenham’s Alternatives If Osimhen Deal Fails
With a move for Osimhen becoming increasingly difficult, Tottenham’s next steps in the transfer market will be closely watched.
Folarin Balogun has emerged as another name linked with a move to north London. The United States international would certainly be an intriguing addition, particularly given his previous association with Arsenal. His ability to score regularly also makes him an appealing option.
Nicolas Jackson could be another possibility. Interestingly, the Senegal international spent last season alongside Kane at Bayern Munich on loan.
Jackson scored 11 goals in 34 appearances but often found himself playing in the shadow of Kane during his spell in the Bundesliga.
Nevertheless, the Chelsea forward remains an attractive option. Reports from RMC Sport suggest Tottenham are among several clubs monitoring his situation, with Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid also believed to be interested.
However, any club hoping to sign Jackson could reportedly need to pay around £60 million to persuade Xabi Alonso’s side to sell.
Jackson’s supporters believe he can justify such a price. His agent, Ali Barat, previously described him as “one of the best strikers in the world” following his move to Bayern.
While Jackson is not at Kane’s level and may not yet match Osimhen, there are similarities between the two forwards.
Tottenham have traditionally relied heavily on strikers who drop deep and link play. Kane was particularly effective at coming short, receiving possession and creating opportunities for teammates. Solanke has offered more of a traditional target-man presence, although he does not regularly threaten opponents with runs behind the defence.
Jackson could provide Spurs with a completely different attacking dimension.
Like Osimhen, he possesses the pace to attack space behind defensive lines and the physical strength to battle defenders. He also brings a proven ability to score, having netted 17 goals during his first season at Chelsea.
More importantly, Jackson could make Tottenham significantly more dangerous on the counter-attack. That would be particularly beneficial for any new wingers De Zerbi brings into his squad this summer.
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