Tottenham beat West Ham, Villa to signing of 93-goal LaLiga striker
Tottenham have reportedly switched their striker focus to signing a Sevilla frontman as Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his attacking options this summer.
The north London club chose not to directly replace all-time leading goalscorer Harry Kane last summer when he left for Bayern Munich, with Richarlison and skipper Son Heung-min taking on the central roles at different points of the season.
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Although they shared 29 goals between them, Postecoglou was left frustrated at the number of missed opportunities that ultimately played a part in the club missing out on a top-four spot and Champions League football – along with defensive deficiencies.
A plethora of top striker options have already been linked with a switch to Tottenham this summer, including the likes of Santiago Gimenez, Ivan Toney, Serhou Guirassy and Benjamin Sesko but the latest reports suggest a move is on to land a LaLiga hotshot.
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Reports coming out of Spain suggest Sevilla frontman Youssef En-Nesyri has emerged as a serious contender to be Postecoglou’s new No.9.
The 71-cap Morroco international has also been heavily linked with West Ham, with Julen Lopetegui having worked with him in the past, while Aston Villa are also known to be keen.
Sevilla are thought to want £25m for the prolific attacker, who scored 20 times in 41 outings last term despite being in a struggling side.
Sevilla open to En-Nesyri sale
The 27-year-old’s current contract expires next year, leaving Sevilla with a tricky decision in terms of recouping a decent transfer fee for him to avoid a free transfer exit.
His overall goals record is a decent one, with 93 in 290 games, but his overall game might be a concern for Postecoglou.
According to FBref, En-Nesyri ranks in the bottom 19 percent for pass completion compared to his rivals across Europe.
That might not be as disastrous as it sounds in terms of what Postecoglou wants from his central striker though, as movement and stretching the opponent’s defence to create space for others is key to how the Australian wants his team to play.
To that end, at just £25m, En-Nesyri could be a realistic option – if Tottenham can keep the player out of the clutches of West Ham and Villa.