Spurs are considering a move for “complete” £50m finisher, he’d be Ange’s own Haaland
Spurs: “Complete” £50m finisher could be their own Haaland
The Lilywhites could be set to secure their very own version of the unstoppable Erling Haaland.
Tottenham Hotspur continue to peruse the market for a new striker, and could make a surprising swoop to snag a star from a rival…
Who could replace Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur?
Having dominated the bulk of the summer transfer window, Harry Kane’s departure now ushers in a new saga: who will Ange Postecoglou recruit to replace him?
The Lilywhites do boast a rich plethora of attacking talent already, but at the end of the day, a focal point is needed with which to spearhead their frightening front line.
There also remains a viable debate as to whether the Australian will invest in the future, trusting a youthful forward to take that role, or depending on a more experienced talisman.
One report from The Sun seems to suggest the former, as they report that the north London outfit are seeking to raid their rivals, snatching the 22-year-old striker Folarin Balogun from Arsenal in what would be a surprise move.
Despite the Gunners holding out for £50m amidst interest from AS Monaco, that could be a fee sure to skyrocket should they potentially seek to barter with their bitter enemy.
How good is Folarin Balogun?
Having been raised through the Gunners academy, the USMNT international took his opportunity last season with a special loan spell in France.
With a struggling tenure at Middlesbrough previously, few expected the young finisher to amount to much as his unassuming Ligue 1 switch was confirmed. However, his form has sparked plenty of debate at the Emirates regarding whether he should be given a chance, especially with the longstanding injury issues held by Gabriel Jesus.
Regardless, it seems they are prepared to sell, with a move across the city sure to spark anger.
Especially given how he would certainly improve Spurs, given how he scored 21 times in the French top-flight most recently, earning praise. His boss at Reims, Will Still, led that notion:
“He is a super complete striker, he is able to play with his back to goal, in depth. It is technically very clean. He scores, he is decisive.”
Such proficiency combined with his physicality and youth understandably draw comparisons with Erling Haaland, which FBref emphasise by including the Norwegian goal machine on his ‘similar players’ list.
Gunners legend Thierry Henry offered one key similarity they share after he claimed:
“He’s a very English-style player who likes to run down the channels but he was missing something, which was his finishing. He’s now starting to score goals regularly and I’m happy for that – happy he has gone abroad. It’s especially so considering he is a Londoner, in general Londoners struggle to leave London.”
It seems that his bulky 5 foot 10 frame partnered with his electric pace makes for the same frightening combination that has allowed Manchester City’s 23-year-old forward to dominate world football.
Last season saw him score 52 goals across all competitions, breaking the Premier League goalscoring record for a sole campaign with his 36 strikes.
He is imperious, and regarded by Wayne Rooney as “the best footballer in the world” at present.
Whilst Balogun will have aspirations of reaching such a level, he will be aware that few can dominate as he does. However, with the vacancy that has emerged at his north London rivals, he would surely be best served starting with them than battling behind Jesus under Mikel Arteta.
Postecoglou would likely nurture the young forward, utilising his talents to get him as close as possible to the unimitable Haaland.
