Why £63m Solanke upgrade could be De Zerbi’s ‘bomba’ signing at Spurs

Oh, don’t tease us, Roberto De Zerbi. Yes, the Italian has stoked the transfer flames by suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur‘s business is only 60% complete, while also revealing that a statement, ‘bomba’ signing is in the works.

As noted by The Athletic, that marquee move is said to be separate to the club’s pursuit of Savinho, with there currently confidence that a deal for the Brazilian will be struck sooner rather than later.

Quite who this parallel target is remains to be seen, with Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi seemingly out of the running through injury, yet it does speak to the urgency regarding Spurs’ need for attacking signings.

The Lilywhites can’t afford a repeat of 2023.

Why Spurs are at risk of repeating the summer of 2023

Looking back three years ago, there was a buzz surrounding Spurs following the belated arrival of Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, with the Aussie promising an exciting, front-foot style that had long been absent under the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

There was, initially, also plenty to like about the club’s transfer dealings, notably poaching James Maddison from relegated Leicester City, while also landing future star, Micky van de Ven, from Wolfsburg.

Even Guglielmo Vicario’s capture from Empoli looked like a coup considering his subsequent form in that first season, with Postecoglou reinvigorating the spine of his team that summer.

And yet, the forward line was rather neglected, with the late arrival of Brennan Johnson failing to really fill the void left behind by Harry Kane, as the Lilywhites ultimately faded after a rampant start to 2023/24.

Fast forward to the present day, and there is again an energy and an excitement surrounding the north London side, not least due to the man at the helm, with the backline and midfield unit having also been reinforced so substantially.

Of course, by his own admission, De Zerbi wants more in attack, but as things stand, the Lilywhites look incredibly light on depth and quality, particularly with the likes of Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus having been hampered by injury.

Only Richarlison reached double figures for goals and goal involvements in the Premier League last term, with it currently difficult to see who will be the man to make the difference at the top end of the pitch.

Indeed, it will take a handful of further signings for Spurs to prove this isn’t just a repeat of three years ago.

Who Spurs’ ‘bomba’ signing could be alongside Savinho

As already noted, the Lilywhites are believed to be confident of wrapping up a deal for Manchester City’s Savinho in the coming weeks, with the 22-year-old said to have already agreed personal terms back in January.

REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

The former Girona starlet is set to freshen up the options on the flanks, while the club had been looking at the likes of Kroupi to bolster the centre-forward berth, prior to the Frenchman’s recent setback.

As per TEAMtalk, Spurs were just 24 hours away from launching an £80m bid for the 20-year-old, although they are now set to shift to alternative targets instead.

Among those named is Barcelona forward, Ferran Torres, with the World Cup winner set to be up for grabs as his current deal at Camp Nou expires in 2027.

Paris Saint-Germain are said to be the frontrunners for his signature as things stand, but Spurs would ‘relish’ the chance to sign the 26-year-old, having already opened talks with intermediaries regarding the player’s situation.

As per The Athletic, Barca are wary of extending his deal, which expires in 2027, as they would have to pay an additional fee to Man City, taking the total cost of signing the striker to around €73m (£63m).

That should raise hopes of Spurs being able to pounce, with Torres fresh from his World Cup final heroics, after volleying home the decisive goal against Argentina in the showpiece.

He has been a polarising figure for both club and country, but that felt like a crowning moment, with it hard to argue against his record of 25 goals in just 65 games for la Roja.

Last season too, for instance, Torres was a valuable part of Hansi Flick’s title-winning side, scoring 21 goals in all competitions, 16 of which came in LaLiga.

The year prior, he’d also netted 19 times across all fronts, reaching double figures in the league too, with his overall record in Catalonia standing at 65 goals in 207 games to date.

Compare that to the man he might replace at Spurs, Solanke, and there isn’t too much of a contest, with the Englishman enduring a wretched first two years at N17.

While Torres has hit 40 goals since the start of 2024/25, 26 of which came in the league, Tottenham’s number 19 has only scored 22 total goals in that time, just 12 of which came in the league.

Solanke has seen his game time reduced due to injury, although that said, Torres has made the most of his limited minutes under Flick, with his ten LaLiga goals in 2024/25 coming from just 12 starts, as he scored at a rate of one every 111 minutes.

As for Solanke, he scored nine Premier League goals that year from 25 starts, netting once every 245 minutes under Postecoglou’s watch.

Considering the £65m outlay, Spurs just haven’t seen enough from the 28-year-old to date, hence why bringing in a player with momentum, like Torres, could represent the ideal upgrade.

He’s won titles both for his club and for his country, and has delivered on the biggest stage – the same can’t be said of Solanke.