Tottenham will not be dissuaded from landing one of the most in-demand strikers in Europe this summer despite big wage demands, according to a fresh report. Spurs are in need of reinforcements this summer, and Roberto De Zerbi is set to be handed plenty of them as part of a squad remodel.
The North London club have finished in the bottom half in consecutive seasons, and the board have promised significant changes, which will, at least in part, come from significant investment.
Spurs are going to be busy in this transfer window, and they have already made a good start, snapping up Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. More will follow, and the striker position is among the priorities.
Spurs zero in on Vlahovic
De Zerbi is in desperate need of at least one striker, if not two, with Randal Kolo Muani headed back to PSG and Richarlison's future still unclear. As ever, there are few top-level striker options available this summer, but there is one who stands out above the rest.
Dušan Vlahović is available for absolutely nothing in the way of a transfer fee after allowing his Juventus deal to expire. The Serbian is still only 26 years of age, and his powerful approach to the striker's role is what will attract plenty of clubs to him this summer. Vlahovic netted 44 times in 98 games for Fiorentina and 50 in 123 league games for Juventus. The striker can score goals, but in truth, the strength of his game is being able to hold the ball and bring others into play.
“I have watched him a couple of times now,” pundit Micah Richards told BBC Radio Five Live prior to the Juventus move. "He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”
Wage demands not a concern for Spurs
When top players are available on a free transfer, they almost always look to cash in when it comes to their contract, given they know interested clubs are saving tens of millions in transfer fees. In Vlahovic's case, TeamTalk report the striker wants around £150,000-per-week, or more specifically, £8million per year.
That's a hefty wage, but it is not enough to put off the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle United, according to the same report. And that should come as no surprise, given the savings involved in the deal.
Vlahovic would likely command at least a £50million fee on the conservative side in usual circumstances, and his wages would come on top of that. In this scenario, interested clubs could land him for a combined cost of £24million over three years, for instance, and opportunities to sign top-level strikers for that sort of money do not come around very often.