They must sign him: Why Victor Osimhen can be Spurs’

Has anyone seen a striker? Yes, Tottenham Hotspur‘s need for a new number nine has only been ramped up following the news that Richarlison could be on his way this summer.

Last season’s leading scorer in north London has just a year left to run on his existing deal, with Roberto De Zerbi revealing that he is unsure as to whether the Brazilian will push for an exit before deadline day.

A cult figure the 29-year-old may be, but this is no Erling Haaland or Harry Kane, with his record of 27 Premier League goals in four seasons making for grim reading. Indeed, Kane scored 30 in his final campaign alone at N17.

With Dominic Solanke still an injury concern, Spurs simply can’t head into the new season without signing a marquee striker.

Assessing Spurs’ realistic striker targets

As explored already this summer, the Lilywhites had been keen on a deal for Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, albeit with the Frenchman’s recent injury blow ensuring a pin will have to be put in that interest.

Reports suggested that ENIC had been 24 hours away from lodging a bid for the 20-year-old, yet they are now eyeing alternatives, with World Cup hero, Ferran Torres, among them.

A return to the Premier League surely can’t be ruled out for a player who has just a year left to run on his Barcelona deal, albeit with Paris Saint-Germain seemingly at the front of the queue as things stand.

Meanwhile, a more wildcard name has been floated in the form of Club Brugge starlet, Nicolo Tresoldi, the 21-year-old fresh from netting 19 goals in the Belgian Pro League last term.

Brugge, understandably, aren’t desperate to sell, however, after only signing the young marksman last year.

There’s also the presence of Dusan Vlahovic lurking in the background, the 26-year-old Serbian still a free agent after the expiry of his contract at Juventus.

Landing the towering left-footer without paying a transfer fee would be an attractive prospect, although Vlahovic did endure his own fitness woes in 2025/26, starting just 11 Serie A games in total.

The one-time Fiorentina man would certainly fit the bill as a ‘bomba’ signing that De Zerbi would be keen on, but so too would Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian seemingly emerging as a realistic option for the north London side.

The latest on Spurs’ interest in Victor Osimhen

Not to disrespect Galatasaray, but it is somewhat bizarre that Osimhen has now spent the last two seasons playing outside of Europe’s big five leagues, with a player of his talents seemingly destined to flourish at the truly elite level.

A former Scudetto winner with Napoli, the 26-year-old has been a hit in Turkey, Italy, France and Belgium, only enduring a brief, goalless stint in Germany with Wolfsburg many moons ago.

He’s about as reliable and clinical as they come amid this modern dearth of old-school number nines, with ENIC seemingly agreeing, as Caught Offside reveal Spurs’ interest in the Lagos-born sensation.

The suggestion is that Tottenham have already made an approach to Galatasaray worth between £50m and £55m, albeit with the Super Lig side looking for closer to £65m if they are to sell.

It is believed that the north Londoners have received encouragement to begin ‘formal negotiations’, while there is a feeling that personal terms would not be a problem, according to agents in the industry.

Spurs know more than most just what a coup this would be, with Osimhen having been electric when the two sides met in the Europa League back in 2024/25.

Yes, it might have been a scratch defence put out by Ange Postecoglou, yet Osimhen was a right old handful, creating chances for himself at will as the hosts ran out 3-2 winners.

He can be prolifigate, having missed four ‘big chances’ that night, but the £65m man did also score twice from his seven shots on goal, highlighting just what a threat he is at his best.

His pace, power and goalscoring prowess are why he was tipped to be Arsenal’s “answer to Haaland“, in the view of reporter and analyst Harvey Diamonds, following prior Gunners interest, with the same likely to be true for Spurs.

Indeed, in 2025/26, he scored 15 goals from just 19 Super Lig starts, netting at a rate of one goal every 115 minutes, even while missing 23 ‘big chances’.

A year earlier, following his initial loan move to Istanbul, Osimhen scored 26 goals in just 27 league starts, netting at a rate of one goal every 88 minutes.

He did again miss 25 ‘big chances’ that season, but the best strikers so often do, such is the regularity of their attempts on goal, with even Haaland missing 30 in 2025/26, as he topped the Premier League charts with 27 goals.

There were even suggestions during his 2022/23 Napoli pomp that Osimhen was actually “better than Haaland“, in the view of his agent, and although that might have been made to look fanciful since, it speaks to just how highly-regarded the Nigerian is.

A move to the Premier League has felt like a long-time coming, with this surely the ‘bomba’ that De Zerbi’s side desperately need.