Which striker could Tottenham sign to compete with Harry Kane?
Jose Mourinho is targeting more firepower up front
Football fans have been enjoying getting to know Jose Mourinho behind-the-scenes following the release of Tottenham’s All or Nothing documentary.
But on the pitch, there’s a glaring issue that the Spurs boss is desperate to address before the transfer window closes.
Harry Kane is undoubtedly one of the world’s best strikers when he’s fit. The issue for Tottenham is that with his tendency to pick up injuries, he can’t be relied upon to stay healthy for an entire season.
The North London side have plenty of attacking threats, with Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura able to deputise, but they lack a natural No.9 when Kane is unavailable.
So, we’ve taken a look at three potential frontmen they could sign in the next few weeks.
Danny Ings
Having endured three nightmare seasons at Liverpool, blighted by injury and a lack of playing time, Ings is enjoying a renaissance on the south coast.
A successful initial loan spell saw his move to Southampton become permanent last summer and Ings more than repaid their faith, scoring 22 times in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on the Golden Boot and earning a recall to the England squad.
The 28-year-old has put his injury woes behind him and he was a driving force behind Southampton’s impressive post-lockdown form.
Ings has been linked with a switch to Tottenham this week but Southampton don’t need to sell, so they’ll play hardball in any potential negotiations.
Any new addition would be expected to play second fiddle to Kane, with the Spurs captain one of the first names on the team sheet when he’s fit.
But following his stunning form last season, Ings may fancy his chances at usurping his compatriot and establishing himself as first choice if a move materialises.
Alexander Sørloth
To say Sørloth flattered to deceive during his time at Crystal Palace would be an understatement. The Norwegian didn’t score in 16 Premier League outings and after failing to impress Roy Hodgson, he was shipped out on loan, first to Gent and then to Trabzonspor.
Yet Sørloth has enjoyed a new lease of life in Turkey and he scored an incredible 33 goals in all competitions last term, leading to him being linked with a switch to Real Madrid.
RB Leipzig have also expressed an interest, although they seem to have been priced out of a move, and now Spurs are reportedly looking to bring him in as an alternative to Kane.
However, the situation is far from straightforward. Although Sørloth remains a Palace player, Trabzonspor have an option to buy him and are looking to exercise that clause before immediately selling him for a profit.
It remains to be seen whether Sørloth can cut it in the Premier League, particularly at a club with considerably higher expectations than Palace.
But the 24-year-old certainly fits the mould, with Spurs in the market for a striker that will have to bide his time for regular minutes.
Paulo Dybala
Spurs were heavily linked with a move for the Juventus frontman last summer, so who’s to say they won’t renew their interest?
The Argentinean scored 17 times last season but he could see less playing time this year. Cristiano Ronaldo is still the main man, while Juve are also believed to be chasing Luis Suarez.
Dybala would be a marquee signing at Spurs and Mourinho may not be willing to splash out on a deputy for Kane.
However, with Spurs struggling to score goals, as shown in their opening day defeat at home to Everton, they could look to change their fortunes by adjusting their playing style.
An aggressive formation switch to two up top would make them more of an attacking threat and a strike force of Dybala and Kane would be one of the most feared in Europe.
However, after Spurs pulled out of the race to sign both Ollie Watkins and Callum Wilson due to their price tags, it’s unclear whether they’d be willing to pay the hefty fee Juventus would inevitably demand.
View the latest football odds.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
