Tottenham eye €40m Bundesliga striker as De Zerbi seeks new attacking option
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a January move for Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic as Roberto De Zerbi looks for a new solution to his side’s struggles in front of goal.
Spurs have endured a difficult beginning to the season, failing to win or score in their first four Premier League matches. Saturday’s goalless draw against Everton extended their winless run and left them 17th in the table.
The disappointing start comes after Tottenham invested more than £300million in De Zerbi’s squad during the summer, following a campaign in which they only secured Premier League survival on the final day.
Although the club focused heavily on strengthening their defence and midfield, attacking reinforcements arrived late in the window, with Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk brought in to improve the team’s options in the final third.
However, Tottenham’s attack has yet to find its rhythm. Mudryk is now expected to spend several weeks on the sidelines after picking up an ankle injury in training, while Richarlison was left out of the club’s Premier League squad altogether.
With Spurs struggling to find the net, another striker could therefore become a major priority in January if the situation does not improve.
According to reports from Germany, Tottenham are ready to increase their interest in Freiburg forward Igor Matanovic, having already monitored the Croatian towards the end of the summer transfer window.
The 23-year-old has made an impressive start to the campaign, scoring six goals and providing two assists in just six appearances. His performances have reportedly attracted increasing interest from Premier League clubs, with both Tottenham and Manchester United keeping a close eye on his development.
Standing at 6ft 4in, Matanovic offers a powerful physical presence and the ability to operate as a traditional focal point in attack. He joined Freiburg from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025 for around €7million and has since developed into an increasingly influential forward in Germany. He was also included in Croatia’s World Cup squad.
Spurs face competition from Manchester United
Matanovic could provide De Zerbi with a different attacking profile to the options currently available at Tottenham.
While Dominic Solanke offers a more conventional centre-forward option and Marmoush provides pace and movement, Matanovic would give Spurs greater physical presence inside the penalty area and another outlet capable of leading the line.
However, Tottenham could face competition from Manchester United, who are also reportedly monitoring the striker. United scouts are believed to see Matanovic as a potential alternative or competitor to Benjamin Sesko for the No.9 position.
Despite Marmoush strengthening Tottenham’s attacking options and Solanke remaining available, Matanovic’s physical attributes could make him an attractive target for De Zerbi.
Freiburg are reportedly under no pressure to sell their striker during the January window. Should they decide to consider offers, the German club are believed to value him at around €35-40million (£30-34million), significantly higher than his current reported market value of approximately €22million (£19million).
At this stage, there is reportedly no formal offer on the table. Tottenham are instead expected to continue monitoring Matanovic during the first half of the season before deciding whether to make a move in January.
For Spurs, the Croatian could represent a completely different attacking option as De Zerbi searches for a solution to a forward line that has struggled badly for goals.
