Tottenham have had an excellent run so far and boast of a squad of excellent quality, however they are in need of one more striker to be a complete team. Who should they buy?
a Itai??i??s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and rolla goes a famous ACDC song, and surely with 19 games done there’s still half a season to go. Tottenham Hotspurs however started the first game of the season on a sour note with a loss to the much revamped Manchester United. Since then Spurs have come to score 33 goals concede only 15 and boast of the best goal difference and least number of games lost along with Leicester City. One attribute that can be noticed is that Tottenham have had many draws and the sole reason for two points being dropped in a few games was often their inability to score.
Harry Kane has been a phenomenal asset in the hands of Pochettino. Shrugging off a dry spell for the first few games,
he has come back strong and shown heai??i??s not another one season wonder. Scoring 11 goals and raking up 4 assists in the premier league, Kane stands as the only out and out striker for Tottenham Hotspur playing every game in all competitions save the 4 ai??i?? 1 victory against AS Monaco. Although it is every managerai??i??s dream to have their best players playing every game throughout the season, fatigue is one aspect that has be considered.
A problem that could arise for Tottenham would be the lack of options if Harry Kane were to be injured. Spurs have always boasted of a smart set of strikers in their ranks with the likes of Klinsman and Sherringham to more recent players like Defoe and Berbatov. However with only Son and Nai??i??jie as alternates for Kane, Pochettino is in dire need of an out an out striker who will serve as an alternative for Kane. During the January transfer window, Pochettino needs to a look for a striker who can adapt to his playing style and the leagues playing style in the least amount of time. Hence he would prefer a player who has already experienced the premier league. Here are few options Pochettino could look at:
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Sadio Berahino
Evident from his child like tantrums at West Brom, such as refusing to play for the club as long as the existing chairman is at its helm, Berahino has been keen on moving to White Hart Lane since the previous transfer window. However with the abysmal asking price the deal went stale towards the end of the last transfer market. This season however he has been but a shade of his former self, a one season wonder you could say. With a poor attitude off the pitch, and poorer form on it, Berahino has managed to score just 3 goals in the 14 games played for the club in the Premier league. He has managed to take only 10 shots in these 14 games, a dismal figure compared to Harry Kaneai??i??s 51 shots in 19 games. Hence he might not be the best option right now for the club given the momentum the team has gained. However there will be no doubt he still will be a transfer target for Tottenham, who plan to use Andros Townsend as part of the deal.
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Sandro Ramirez
Sandro Ramirez is a 20 year old Spanish striker currently at Barcelona. Finding himself in the company of three of the best attacking players in the trade, there is almost no chance for the youngster to break into the starting eleven. Nonetheless, the Barca youth product has featured in a few of their games and is inching towards being a regular. Being able to play in all three positions atop a 4-3-3, Ramirez is the best bet for Tottenham as he is the closest to a complete number nine with the ability to play on the wings. Available for a throw away price of 8 million, he would be a very suitable acquisition in the mid-season market. However the club should ensure they do not ruin the player like they did with another Barca product, Giovanni Dos Santos.
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Moussa Dembele
Tottenham fans have fallen so much in love with Moussa Dembele that they wouldnai??i??t mind having a second one in the team. The 19-year-old who plays at Fulham FC has been taking the lower division by storm. Being shown interest from Manchester United as well, the French utility player, much like Nai??i??jie, is a striker who can also play on either sides of the wings. This could prove useful for the team as he can be used in rotation or during cup games in place of Kane or can also play on the wings when any of the other regular team players are injured. The fact that he has experience in the English lower division will help him adapt easily to the physical game that is played in the Premier League, similar to Dele Alli. But again Tottenham who are in need of a proper number 9 might not benefit from his arrival to the fullest.
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Alvaro Negredo
The Spanish striker moved to Valencia due to a lack of playing time at Manchester City. However, returning home hasnai??i??t gone too well, as the Spanish number 9 has netted just one goal out of 7 games played, a figure quite dismal for a striker. Although the fact that he has the experience of playing for a premier league side goes to his advantage, there is no denying that Pochettino is a manager who usually doesnai??i??t look at strikers aged 30 and this would be the most important quality working against his move to Tottenham.
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Michy Batshuayi
The 22 year old Belgian plyai??i??s his trade at Olympique de Marseille and has been exceptional,
Is another Belgian coming to Spurs? contrary to his club’s performance. With as many goals in as many games as Kane, he would be an exceptional addition for the side. Having other Belgians in the side, like Toby Alderweireld and Moussa Dembele, would also make it easy for the pacey youngster to feel welcome. Nevertheless there are two reasons why getting Batshuayi will be a problem. One, with Marseille playing in the Europa League bringing him in would be of no use as he will be unable to play in the competition.
With many other strikers going unmentioned, Pochettino will have a host of options to choose from. However, the striker who would best fit Tottenhamai??i??s philosophy would have to be brought in for the move to prove fruitful for Spurs, as they look to finish the season strongly and stay in the top four, if not challenge for the title.