Atletico Madrid are open to selling striker Kevin Gameiro, and have approached Tottenham Hotspur for a possible transfer in the summer
According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, Atletico Madrid are willing to listen to offers for striker Kevin Gameiro. The La Liga heavyweights have sounded out several clubs for the Frenchman, and Tottenham Hotspur are one of the more prominent names.
The 29-year-old only made the move to Vicente Calderon at the start of the season, but it now looks like Atletico Madrid might already be ready to offload him. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at Gameiro and what he could possibly offer to Tottenham.
Kevin Gameiro And A Career Of Ups and Downs
Kevin Gameiro burst onto the scene with lowly French club Strasbourg as he made his name at the youth levels for club and country as a versatile forward who, while not exactly being prolific could pose a definite threat to opposition defences with his pace and superb finishing.
Having impressed at Strasbourg, Gameiro moved upwards by sealing a transfer to Ligue 1 side Lorient. The move was certainly fruitful as he continued to make a mark, scoring 56 goals and providing 23 assists in three seasons at the club.
His next move saw him move to French giants Paris Saint-Germain in 2011, and this is when the first down point of his career came. Gameiro was a bit-part player for two seasons at the Parc des Princes and managed to score just 23 times with the capital club.
He subsequently joined Sevilla where his career got a new lease of life. Having become a regular at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, the Frenchman improved his scoring rate significantly and became one of the most dangerous forwards in Spain, with 67 goals in just 145 matches for the club.
The move also proved to be illustrious for Gameiro, as not only did he establish himself as one of the indispensable figures under Unai Emery, but also won the Europa League for three consecutive seasons with Sevilla.
The Move To Atletico And The Return Of The Struggles
Gameiro’s exploits for Sevilla saw him earn a move to La Liga heavyweights Atletico Madrid this past summer. And with the Frenchman at the peak of his powers, he was expected to achieve the heights of his career with Los Rojiblancos.
However, it has been anything but that, with Gameiro unable to become a regular fixture in Diego Simeone’s side. Compatriot Antoine Griezmann is one of the most fundamental members of the Atletico attack, leaving Simeone to rotate the likes of Yannick Carrasco, Fernando Torres and Gameiro around the Euro 2016 top scorer.
With Gameiro being in and out of the side – he has started just 19 games this season, other than 14 appearances off the bench – his numbers have been down as well, with just 12 goals and 5 assists to show for his efforts.
It has now emerged that Atletico are ready to move Gameiro on in the summer – a testament to the fact that he does not feature in Simeone’s plans for the future. Los Rojiblancos have approached several clubs including Premier League biggies Tottenham Hotspur. Could the Lilywhites be interested?
What Does Gameiro Bring To The Table For Tottenham?
Atletico may have sounded Tottenham out for a possible move for Gameiro in the summer transfer window, but do Tottenham really need the 29-year-old? All the evidence points towards a resounding yes for Spurs and Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham may be one of the most exciting sides in the Premier League currently – some may even say that no club is better than them on that regard – but manager Mauricio Pochettino’s options in attack are limited beyond the first team stalwarts.
Harry Kane is as prolific and dangerous as they come in European football, with the England international always there or thereabouts when it comes to being one of the top goal scorers in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Christian Eriksen is one of the best playmakers in the Premier League, while Dele Alli is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the world and is already rated among the top players in the country.
But, apart from these three, Pochettino hasn’t been able to bank on one player to contribute to his team’s cause on a regular basis. Erik Lamela has blown hot and cold ever since the move to White Hart Lane, while Son Heung-Min has never been able to lock down a place for himself in the first team setup.
Moussa Sissoko can safely be termed as a failure for Tottenham, having failed to make any impact whatsoever. Finally, Vincent Janssen hasn’t matched the heights of his career with AZ Alkmaar and continues to struggle to adapt to life in England.
Suffice to say, Pochettino is on the lookout for top class attacking players who can add quality and numbers for his side. This is where Kevin Gameiro comes in, with his spell at Sevilla showing that he can provide the firepower needed in the final third.
In addition to that, his electric pace, clever movement on and off the ball and calm finishing are abilities that will add another dimension to the Spurs attack. This was something that was on show last week, as Gameiro hit the fastest hat-trick in La Liga in the last 22 years having come on as a second-half substitute.
Finally, with his qualities he has shown that he can not only be an able deputy to Kane as the focal point of the Tottenham attack, but also become a regular started on the right flank for them.
With the club eager to establish themselves as contenders for the Premier League title as well as challengers in Europe, a player of Gameiro’s calibre could add some much needed dynamism in their attack. It now remains to be seen if Tottenham make a move for him in the summer.
