Tottenham still have big problem to fix despite spending £200m-plus and counting

Despite finishing in 17th in successive campaigns, Spurs have managed to lure some top talent to North London, with Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mateus Fernandes their most expensive outlays.

The Lilywhites are not done there, though, with Manchester City duo Omar Marmoush and Savinho looking like the next to follow through the doors.

However, with well over £200million spent and a week and a half to go until the transfer window closes, the club are yet to address their most significant issue.

The issue that threatens to hold Tottenham back

Roberto De Zerbi, quite frankly, has a monster of a squad at his disposal heading into the new season.

As well as the big money signings, Tottenham have also made some shrewd cheaper additions with Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson arriving for free. 

However, while they will likely possess a surplus of talent in defence and midfield before the window closes, they have still not addressed their number nine issue.

Last season, Spurs scored just 48 goals, the fewest they have managed in 17 years, and while many will bemoan Thomas Frank's tactics and the number of injuries for that, they lack a top-quality number nine.

Richarlison led the line for much of the campaign in Dominic Solanke's absence, scoring 11 league goals, but he has failed to convince in his four years at the club, averaging a goal just over every four games.

Then there is Solanke, who, in fairness, has been plagued by injury, but has been unable to bag more than nine goals in a season after his two years in North London.

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Who are Spurs being linked with?

While an out-and-out number nine is the most glaring issue that needs fixing, it seems that the Lilywhites are targeting players with versatility across the front line.

Savinho is a natural left-winger and would elevate an area that is lacking in quality, while Marmoush can play across the front three.

Then there is Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, who has been linked with the North Londoners all summer but also primarily operates as a wide player, while he has led the line on occasion.

Of the three, Marmoush would be the most suited to lead the line, but he has not regularly played that position since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025, often featuring on the left last season, as shown in the heatmap below.

Yes, the Egypt international did enjoy a stellar goalscoring record in his final Bundesliga campaign, bagging 15 goals in 17 appearances before his switch to the Premier League, but he is not the focal point Tottenham crave.

Reports suggest that Spurs would still want a number nine on top of Marmoush, Savinho and possibly Gakpo, but who could that be?

Which strikers are available?

If acquiring a prominent goalscorer were easy, then Tottenham would surely have found their man by now.

The North London club have been linked with several high-profile strikers during the transfer window, with Florian Balogun, Victor Osimhen and Nicolas Jackson's names doing the rounds.

Balogun, the former Arsenal forward, was reportedly offered to Spurs after an encouraging World Cup with the United States, but he has managed just 25 league goals over the last three seasons.

Osimhen, a player regularly linked with big clubs across Europe, has a stellar record, totalling 82 league goals in his last four seasons for Inter Milan and Galatasaray, but his wages are outrageous.

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Then there is Jackson, who outscored Richarlison and Solanke in his first season with Chelsea but has not yet shown consistency in performances that would fill Spurs fans with confidence.

How about Ollie Watkins? There is nothing to suggest he would move to the Lilywhites, but given he has reportedly given the green light to a move to Saudi Arabia, he would surely be worth a punt.

Yes, he is 30, but De Zerbi could yield a couple of seasons out of him, and he has scored 15 or more goals in each of the last four Premier League seasons.

On the surface, this has been an exceptional summer for Tottenham, but if they can sign a recognised number nine, then the sky is the limit.

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