MusaTottenham Hotspur’s ongoing striker crisis shows no sign of being resolved, with Richarlison still seemingly no closer to leaving the club and Dominic Solanke yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League this season.
It has been a hugely disappointing beginning to the campaign for Spurs. Roberto De Zerbi’s side currently sit at the bottom of the table with just two goals scored, despite the club investing more than £300 million during the summer transfer window.
Following Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa, pressure is already beginning to build around De Zerbi, with Tottenham’s lack of goals becoming one of their biggest concerns.
Richarlison situation continues to drag on
The unresolved Richarlison situation has done little to calm things down at Hotspur Way. Tottenham have already seen potential moves to Trabzonspor and Vasco da Gama collapse, while De Zerbi has made it clear that the Brazilian will not feature again, even once he becomes available.
According to Alasdair Gold, there has now been interest from the UAE. However, Richarlison himself is reportedly not convinced by the possibility of making the move.
Gold revealed this week that Shabab Al Ahli have made an enquiry regarding the financial terms required to sign the forward, although no formal offer has been submitted. There are also doubts among those close to Richarlison over whether a move to the Gulf would appeal to him at this stage of his career.
With the UAE transfer window due to close next Monday and Richarlison’s Tottenham contract running until 2027, Spurs have only a limited amount of time to reach an agreement if they want to secure a transfer fee for the striker.
Meanwhile, Football Insider reports that Tottenham are prepared to sell players in January to help finance the arrival of a “proven top-level” striker.
The club reportedly understands that departures will be necessary to create room financially for further attacking reinforcements.
Tottenham make Mathys Tel transfer decision
However, Richarlison may not be the only forward De Zerbi wants Tottenham to move on from during the winter window.
Football FanCast sources claim that Mathys Tel could actually be the first player placed on the transfer list.
Unlike Richarlison, Tottenham reportedly believe they could still command a sizeable fee for Tel despite his difficult spell since arriving in North London.
The French forward is only 21 years old, has a contract with Spurs until 2031 and remains highly regarded because of his potential. Tel came through the Rennes academy system, which has produced a number of talented players, before Bayern Munich made the decision to invest in him.
Tel was left completely out of the squad for the Aston Villa defeat after what appeared to be a disagreement with De Zerbi during Tottenham’s goalless draw with Everton.
Explaining his decision to leave Tel out, De Zerbi said:
“The technical decision (he) was in the stand, because I think during the game, Maddison and Kudus, they had more chance to change the game. Then two central backs, important. Also the two full-backs. Have a look for Pedro Porro, and the two central midfielders.
“I explained why to Mathys yesterday. He was very nice and he understood the reason, but nothing more. Also, he’s played more than the others.”
Who could Tottenham target up front in January?
Ivan Toney is one player who has been repeatedly linked with Tottenham, and there are obvious reasons why he could appeal to the club.
The former Brentford striker established himself as one of the Premier League’s most reliable finishers before moving to Saudi Arabia. Despite concerns about whether he could immediately rediscover his best form at the highest level, Toney was still included in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad this summer.
Tottenham are desperately short of a traditional focal point in attack, and Toney’s ability to hold the ball up, bring teammates into play and finish chances could make him an attractive option.
However, his age and extended spell away from the Premier League would be factors De Zerbi and Tottenham’s recruitment team would have to consider before making any decision.
Victor Osimhen would represent a far more high-profile option and potentially an even bigger statement of intent from Tottenham.
The Nigerian striker has continued to demonstrate his goalscoring ability since leaving Napoli, while a move to the Premier League has long been discussed as a possible next step in his career.
Osimhen’s physical presence, pace and aerial ability could provide Tottenham with several qualities they currently lack in the final third.
However, bringing him to North London would likely require a major financial commitment, while Spurs could also face significant competition from other clubs across Europe for his signature.
Musa
