The writing seems to be on the wall for Tottenham Hotspur fans, as Harry Kane refused to turn up to training for the second day in a row following an extended break after EURO 2020. It is a day that Spurs fans have been dreading for some time, but they all probably knew it was on the horizon.
Manchester City are yet to make a formal bid that reaches the valuation set by Spurs, but a deal is looking more and more likely given how the transfer window is playing out. Should the England captain depart Tottenham, they will immediately be back in the window for a new striker to replace their talisman. But, which strikers could the club potentially target this summer?
Ivan Toney
Daniel Levy could have a big budget to help identify a replacement for Kane, but he could take a gamble on a man that was in the form of his life in the Championship last season. Ivan Toney may be a more unusual pick to replace an England star, but he has impressed throughout his career with Brentford. After failing to make the grade at Newcastle United, Toney was sold to League One side Peterborough. In his first season, he scored 16 goals, before following that up with 24 in 32.
Brentford came calling following the departure of Ollie Watkins, and he played an integral part in helping the club secure their long-awaited promotion to the Premier League. Toney scored a remarkable 31 goals in 45 games last season, and looks to have the traits to succeed in the top-flight. However, a move for the 25-year-old will still be considered a gamble, as he has played just one season in the second tier.
Alexander Isak
Swedish strikers have more than made their mark in the Premier League in the past, with Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being the two standout stars. However, with the Kane money, Spurs could invest in one of the brightest young strikers in the world in Alexander Isak. The Swedish star has enjoyed two excellent seasons with Real Sociedad since swapping Borussia Dortmund for La Liga.
Isak scored an impressive 17 goals in 34 league appearances last season, and his reputation continued to rise during the EUROs, as he was a handful for opposing defences throughout the tournament. A deal for Isak could be an expensive one, as the 21-year-old recently signed an extension with Sociedad, but it will be likely that the La Liga club would entertain an eye-watering fee from the Premier League giants.
Tammy Abraham
The safest move that Tottenham could make to replace Kane could come in the form of Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham. A deal could be struck between the two London clubs, as the 23-year-old doesn’t look to play a part in Thomas Tuchel’s plans going forward. Abraham boasts something that Isak and Toney both don’t, and that is proven Premier League experience. Abraham impressed during a loan spell with Aston Villa in 2018-19, where he scored 25 goals in 37 fixtures.
He continued his fine development in Frank Lampard’s first season at Chelsea, as he scored 15 goals in 34 games. He was unable to better that return last season, as he found first-team starts hard to come by. However, 12 goals in 32 games in all competitions still highlights that he is more than capable of finding the back of the net on a regular basis. Chelsea may be willing to listen to offers of around £40 million for the striker, which could still leave Spurs with money to play with for the remainder of the window.
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