Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up alternatives to Junior Kroupi after deciding to delay a pursuit of the Bournemouth striker.
The young French forward suffered a foot injury during pre-season with the Cherries and has undergone surgery. He's set to miss the next 3-4 months, and as a result, Spurs are reportedly set to wait until next year to move for the 20-year-old.
Roberto De Zerbi is still expected to be handed a new number nine this summer, and the club have a list of other targets. Having already forked out over £230 million on new signings, including £100m on Sandro Tonali, the transfer chiefs may be cautious about overspending with a future Kroupi pursuit in mind.
Tottenham Eyeing Tresoldi Following Kroupi Injury
One of the names on Tottenham's list is Club Brugge's Nicolo Tresoldi, who has been talked up for a move to one of Europe's big guns this summer. He is highly sought after, and Barcna are also admirers of the German-Italian youngster.
According to TEAMtalk, Spurs have done substantial work on Tresoldi and Hoffenheim's Fisnik Asllani and are impressed. They are tracking both players closely and could move for one of them.
Tresoldi has also garnered interest from Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma following an eye-catching season in the Belgian Pro League. He found the back of the net 23 times in 58 games across competitions, including in a 3-3 draw against Barca in the Champions League.
At just 21 years old, he could be a long-term acquisition for the Lilywhites while also helping add much-needed firepower to De Zerbi's squad. He is a modern centre-forward who makes deep runs and links up well with his fellow attackers.
Spurs Risking Kroupi If They Move For Tresoldi
Spurs could reap the rewards of swooping for Tresoldi, dubbed a 'Luis Suarez regen' given his potential and the need for De Zerbi to have more potency up top. Richarlison's future is uncertain, while Dominic Solanke's injury record is a concern ahead of the Italian's first full campaign in charge.
The Kroupi situation will surely be factored in, though, as moving for a young striker could jeopardise a pursuit of the 20-year-old. It's important that the higher-ups consider the knock-on effect of the German's potential arrival.
If the Lilywhites intend to move for Kroupi, signing a player of a similar age doesn't feel like the best approach. Instead, moving for a short-term experienced solution, much like Chelsea swooping for Danny Welbeck, could be the answer.