Exclusive: Tottenham identify £42m star as top striker target, plan bid for England ace too
Tottenham Hotspur have identified their top striker target with Ange Postecoglou’s side also planning to make another move to bring in a midfielder from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Postecoglou has made no secret of the fact that this is still a Spurs side very much in transition, and HITC understands that plans are being put in place for what is likely to be a summer of heavy change in North London.
Tottenham, we have been told, hope to move early in the market like they did in 2023, when James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Manor Solomon, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski were all signed on permanent deals before mid-July.
Tottenham Hotspur want Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez
Spurs are prioritising a striker and a midfielder.
For the former department, Santiago Gimenez is the top target. Feyenoord’s Mexico international has endured a difficult 2024 but his statistics remain hugely impressive. Gimenez, who helped Arne Slot’s side win the Eredivisie last season, has 26 goals in all competitions this campaign.
23 of those have come in the Dutch top flight, in just 29 starts.
Gimenez’s camp appeared to confirm the interest of Tottenham a few months back, alongside Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and co. And now work is being done on bringing the £42 million-rated poacher to the English capital.
“I had my doubts,” Spurs icon Rafael van der Vaart told Ziggo Sport. “Now, he convinces me more and more. He really has become a very good striker. He has so much confidence and feels so good in De Kuip.
“He still has a long way to go but he has now convinced me. You can no longer say it is a coincidence (when you look at his numbers).
“Great player. Great left foot.”
Tottenham have operated throughout Postecoglou’s debut season without a natural number nine, despite the best efforts of converted widemen Richarlison and Heung-Min Son.
Gimenez’s Feyenoord team-mates, Mats Wieffer, David Hancko and Quinten Timber, could follow Slot to Liverpool, HITC have been told.
Spurs want Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher again
We understand that long-time target Conor Gallagher is also a priority this summer, with Spurs ready to launch a new bid for the England international as soon as the Premier League campaign comes to an end this weekend.
Gallagher has not received the contract offer he was looking for at Chelsea, with his representatives reluctantly accepting that the academy graduate may now have to move on.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side appear unlikely to stand in Gallagher’s way either. His current deal expires in 2025, and his sale would represent ‘pure profit’ from a Financial Fair Play perspective due to his homegrown status.