Although Tottenham Hotspur spent a combined 125 million pounds on strikers Richarlison and Dominic Solanke in the previous two summer transfer windows, the forwards have combined for just 12 goals and 4 assists during the 2024/25 Premier League season, which is just one more goal and one more assist than younger winger Brennan Johnson.
Simply put, Tottenham need more production from their strikers, and with Richarlison edging closer towards a move back to Everton, there could be an opening for Tottenham to make a smart signing at the striker position.
Unfortunately, it looks like Spurs may be behind the eight ball for the cheapest option, which is Lille free agent Jonathan David, who looks like the best available free agent in the summer 2025 transfer window at any position.
Antonio Conte is racking up the wins in Napoli
According to a new report from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Napoli are currently the best-placed club to sign David, edging out Tottenham and West Ham right now. O'Rourke feels that Napoli are pushing the hardest of any of the clubs to sign David, so Tottenham could lose out on David to the favorites to become Serie A champions and former manager Antonio Conte.
Napoli have one of the biggest names at striker in Europe in Romelu Lukaku, as well as young Italian talent Giacomo Raspadori. But David can be a great partner and, later, successor to Lukaku, helping make sure Napoli can remain competitive in Serie A and the Champions League next season.
Right now, Napoli are a much better side than Tottenham, and, as an additional slap in the face to Spurs, are better-coached with Conte at the helm. In classic Conte fashion, the iconic Italian coach is already feuding with Napoli ownership, so his own future in Europe's most romantic city is uncertain. However, Conte could beat out Tottenham in one last stroke of adding insult to Spurs by convincing David to join the potential Serie A champions.
If David is off the table, Tottenham would then likely turn closer to Serie A for their next striker, where Napoli's rivals Juventus have a great market opportunity of their own in Serbian international Dusan Vlahovic, who is just waiting for a club to rescue him from Turin.
David's transfer saga is far from over, and Napoli have clearly not won the race yet. Plenty of clubs are involved in the sweepstakes, and Tottenham should be among them dialing the phone, working hard to bring the Canadian international to North London. But they have to face the fact that with a possible title-winning team in a top-five league heavily interested, Spurs are the underdogs.