Roberto De Zerbi can be dealing with the identical subject that plagued the likes of Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor earlier than him at Tottenham Hotspur – how can this workforce be revived within the post-Harry Kane period?
For therefore lengthy, whether or not it was taken with no consideration or not, Kane was the talisman and figurehead at N17, departing in 2023 because the membership’s all-time prime scorer, after nearly a decade of prolific reliability in entrance of objective.
It stays head-scratching to suppose that Daniel Levy and co allowed the England skipper to go away for Bayern Munich with out signing a direct alternative, with it taking a 12 months for Dominic Solanke to reach on a club-record deal from Bournemouth.
Solanke’s expertise is obvious, nevertheless it merely hasn’t been seen sufficient, with a brand new answer needing to be present in that centre-forward division, be it within the coming weeks and within the long-term.
Why a brand new striker must be Spurs’ precedence
Within the case of Solanke, it has been a story of disruption throughout the final two years or so in north London, by no means really capable of get going following his arrival from the south coast.
|
Solanke – PL profession |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Video games |
Objectives |
|
25/26 |
12 |
3 |
|
24/25 |
27 |
9 |
|
23/24 |
38 |
19 |
|
22/23 |
33 |
6 |
|
19/20 |
32 |
3 |
|
18/19 |
10 |
0 |
|
17/18 |
21 |
1 |
|
16/17 |
0 |
0 |
|
14/15 |
0 |
0 |
|
Whole |
173 |
41 |
In 2024/25, as an example, his early influence was delayed by an ankle subject, whereas a lot of the second half of the season was hampered by a knee damage, making certain he scored simply three Premier League targets between January and Might that 12 months.
Whereas the 28-year-old did show key in Spurs’ knockout stage run within the Europa League, his return of 9 targets again within the top-flight made for poor studying, having fallen behind Brennan Johnson when it comes to the highest scorer on the membership final time period.
As for the present marketing campaign, it has been additional damage woe for the ex-Chelsea and Liverpool man, scoring simply six instances, solely three of which have come within the league.
In his absence, on-loan Frenchman, Randal Kolo Muani, hasn’t fared significantly better, the 2022 World Cup finalist having really been outscored by Solanke, regardless of making 34 appearances as compared with the Englishman’s 17.
The 27-year-old’s solely league objective got here below his former Juventus boss, Tudor, within the north London derby, with there little suggestion {that a} everlasting keep can be on the playing cards this summer season.
New boss De Zerbi will, in fact, have the polarising Richarlison to show to between now and the tip of the season, though the Italian may properly discover one other answer to this striker saga as an alternative.
De Zerbi may unleash “Defoe-esque” Spurs star
Within the case of Richarlison, it has been a decent but unspectacular season in entrance of objective, with the Brazil worldwide having scored ten instances in all competitions, 9 of which have come within the Premier League.
Spurs may see £55m bid accepted for De Zerbi’s new Joao Pedro
A brand new centre-forward may very well be a precedence for Roberto De Zerbi at Spurs this summer season.
As he proved at Anfield, the previous Everton talisman can ship when wanted, but like the lads above, there was no sense of consistency in a Spurs shirt, scoring simply 25 league targets in 4 seasons now within the capital.
De Zerbi does have earlier for getting the most effective out of strikers, be it Evan Ferguson or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, albeit with maybe his most fruitful relationship again at Brighton and Hove Albion having been with the extra cell, dynamic quantity 9 that was Joao Pedro.
The Brazilian’s 20 targets in 2023/24 ensured he was really the very best scorer throughout the 46-year-old’s time on the helm on the Amex, regardless of De Zerbi having initially taken cost a 12 months earlier.
Pedro’s efficient spell main the road may then give hope to younger Mathys Tel as De Zerbi’s subsequent centre-forward mission, with the younger Frenchman nonetheless ready to actually make his mark in north London.
Certainly, a lot of his work thus far has come off the left flank, having seemed significantly spectacular within the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, registering the help for Kolo Muani’s first-half header.
That second of magic did really include Tel drifting over to the best, showcasing why he should not essentially be confined to at least one flank or the opposite, as an alternative allowed the liberty to roam, performing as a hyperlink man from a central beginning berth.
The 20-year-old has scored simply six targets throughout the final 18 months for the Lilywhites, after beforehand scoring 16 targets in 83 video games again at Bayern Munich, following his transfer to Germany from Stade Rennais.
In 2023/24, as an example, Tel scored ten targets in all competitions regardless of beginning simply ten video games, having largely been lowered to an influence function each for the Bavarian aspect and now at Spurs.
It is solely been seen fleetingly, however there’s a potential diamond there, with presenter Ben Bowman hailing his goalscoring capability as “[Jermain] Defoe-esque” within the current previous.
The likes of Kolo Muani and Solanke simply aren’t chopping it proper now, and Tel – whose current groin damage isn’t deemed to be critical – may very well be the cell, athletic answer that De Zerbi is in search of.
£27m Spurs star must be livid that ENIC have employed De Zerbi
The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi may have repercussions for the present Spurs squad.
