Solanke and Ilenikena included – Five Tottenham striker options valued €50m or less

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Postecoglou wants No.9 

For years, Tottenham Hotspur had one of the best strikers in the world in Harry Kane with the England striker the North London club’s top scorer in their history with 280 goals. Kane’s departure last summer for Bayern Munich coincided with Ange Postecoglou’s arrival but the Australian didn’t directly replace Spurs’ captain. 

Instead, Postecoglou deployed Heung-min Son as his central striker with Kane’s former partner in crime also handed the armband. The South Korean – Spurs’ third highest scorer in history – returned a respectable 17 goals in 36 games. Richarlison was back-up to Son and the Brazilian produced a purple patch around the turn of the year with nine goals in eight games but he only scored three further goals. Son and Richarlison were the only two Spurs players to reach double figures and that reinforced the need for a new striker this summer. It’s no secret that Postecoglou is targeting a more traditional No.9 but who could Spurs sign? Based on Transfermarkt’s market values, we’ve identified five potential arrivals who are valued at €50 million or less. 

Dominic Solanke has been heavily linked with a move to Spurs and it’s understandable as he ticks lots of boxes. The former Liverpool and Chelsea striker enjoyed an excellent season with Bournemouth with 19 goals in the Premier League and his all-round game was impressive. At 26, Solanke is a good age and will be entering his prime across the next few years. Tottenham would satisfy Solanke’s ambitions to play European football at a top club and he could thrive off the service provided by Postecolgou’s wide men in his attacking style. Solanke is currently valued at €40m but Bournemouth would demand a fee in excess of that figure to sell their prized asset.

There’s a dearth of quality strikers currently in football – highlighted at Euro 2024 – but Santiago Gimenez represents a fascinating option. The Mexican international scored 26 goals in 41 games for Feyenoord last season to garner interest from top European clubs. Spurs have monitored Gimenez’s progress and North London could be perfect for his development. Gimenez’s ability to link-up play and finishing resembles Kane. He represents the more traditional striker that Postecoglou has been targeting but moving from the Eredivisie to Premier League would be a significant step up. 

After years of speculation, Jonathan David seems destined to depart Lille this summer. The Canadian international has entered the last year of his contract and the Ligue One side won’t want to lose him on a free. Lille have overtaken Rennes and Monaco as the premier club for developing talent in France and David has thrived since joining from Gent for €27m in 2020 with 84 goals in 183 games. David’s pace and power would bolster Tottenham’s attacking options but they would face competition for his signature as he has suitors across Europe. 

Like the aforementioned David, Ivan Toney will almost certainly leave Brentford during this transfer window as his contract expires next summer. Toney is a traditional striker and he’d provide Tottenham with a focal point while he possesses the personality to deal with the pressure of playing for a big club. The 28-year-old has scored 36 goals in 85 Premier League games and his hold-up play is excellent. Brentford have reportedly wanted a fee in the region of €100m for their star man in previous windows but they’ll have to drop their demands considerably due to Toney’s contract situation and a fee of around could land the England international. 

George Ilenikhena represents a wildcard option but he fits Tottenham’s recent recruitment approach of acquiring young talents with huge potential. Archie Gray and Lucas Bergval – signed in January –  have both joined Tottenham this summer and are viewed as stars of the future. Ilenikhena has been linked with Spurs previously after his breakthrough season with Royal Antwerp. The 17-year-old scored eight league goals for Antwerp and he’s already gained experience in the Champions League featuring in all six of their group stage games and he scored in the 3-2 win over Barcelona. While patience would be needed to allow Ilenikhena to develop, his potential is huge and would be significantly cheaper than the other four options.