Tottenham Hotspur are increasingly aware that signing a new striker could be the missing piece in their quest to become genuine Premier League title contenders. Despite creating plenty of chances, Spurs have struggled to convert their opportunities, with defenders contributing more goals than their attacking players. The problem has raised questions about whether they need an elite centre-forward or simply a more reliable goalscorer to take their attack to another level.
Dominic Solanke’s performance against Crystal Palace only intensified those concerns. While his teammates delivered impressive displays, the striker struggled to make an impact, leaving many supporters questioning whether he is good enough to lead Tottenham’s attack.
Omar Marmoush and Dejan Kulusevski could provide alternative options through the middle in the coming months. However, Tottenham are expected to explore the striker market when the January transfer window opens.
Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi is another player who has attracted attention after making an impressive return from injury against Leeds United. The youngster immediately showed his quality after coming off the bench, but Bournemouth are unlikely to entertain offers for a player they were reluctant to sell during the summer transfer window.
Serie A could offer Tottenham an alternative
With established strikers difficult to find and even harder to sign in January, Tottenham may have to consider taking a calculated gamble on emerging talents. Two names attracting attention are Frosinone’s 22-year-old Italian forward Antonio Raimondo and Monza’s 21-year-old Portuguese striker Gustavo Varela.
Both have been impressive in front of goal this season and are establishing themselves as two of the most exciting attacking prospects in Italian football.
Varela has registered nine goals in nine appearances, while also contributing a key pass per game. His ability to take on defenders, complete dribbles and win fouls makes him an exciting all-round attacking option. His performances suggest he could offer Tottenham considerably more attacking variety than they are currently getting from Solanke.
Raimondo has also been productive, scoring eight goals in 10 starts for Frosinone. Although he is less involved in dribbling and chance creation, his physical presence and ability to draw fouls make him an interesting prospect.
Between the two, Varela appears to have the advantage. He is younger, has scored more goals and offers greater creativity and dribbling ability. Nevertheless, both forwards could represent interesting alternatives for Tottenham.
Neither signing would come without risk, but their performances in one of Europe’s top five leagues suggest they have the potential to develop into quality strikers.
For Spurs, taking a chance on one of these emerging forwards in January could provide a solution to their goalscoring problems while allowing them to continue pursuing a bigger target like Kroupi in the summer.
