Why striker-seeking Spurs must keep wallets closed in January

Tottenham’s 4-1 win over Monaco in the Europa League was a landmark occasion for them this season; it was the first time Harry Kane did not play a single minute of football.

Spurs’ lack of depth at centre-forward is common knowledge and is perhaps the biggest reason why the north London outfit will fail to live up to their early hype this term. However, as the slick victory over their French rivals showed, it is possible that the side can cope without their star man.

A front four of Son Heung-min, Erik Lamela, Clinton N’jie and Joshua Onomah operated superbly at White Hart Lane on Thursday night and with the likes of Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen around to bolster that quartet too, a rash purchase for a new striker in January isn’t necessarily the club’s best option.

Obviously Kane has been the biggest source of goals for the club thus far, but if the supporting cast can continue to chip in with strikes of their own, then saving their money for a more measured summer purchase would be the ideal scenario.

Last term, Eriksen and Chadli both pulled their weight in front of goal, scoring 12 and 13 times respectively in all competitions. During this campaign, the pair have only managed three and one apiece, but have seen others pickup the slack.

Lamela, who notched a hat-trick against Monaco, is the biggest improver in that department and has seven for the season, while Son has three and looks capable of scoring far more. Dele Alli, a sensational success in his early top-flight career, has also weighed in with three of his own from a deeper-lying role.

Mauricio Pochettino likes his attacking players to interchange positions and, along with his high-energy pressing, it has been an eye-catching feature of the Lilywhites’ play this term. As a result, all of attacking players should have chances to score goals.

Finding the right type of player for a January purchase is notoriously tough, especially for a manager as picky in the makeup of new recruits as Pochettino.

The longer the current squad can prove their ability to support Kane in the goalscoring front, the stronger the case for keeping their wallets locked away this winter becomes.

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