Tottenham Hotspur have been left frustrated in their pursuit of attacking reinforcements, with free agent Dusan Vlahovic now closing in on a switch to Turkish outfit Besiktas instead.
Spurs are gearing up for a major overhaul in attack as Roberto De Zerbi begins his first full campaign in charge, with the club’s hierarchy pushing to add more cutting edge after last season’s inconsistent goal return. A deal remains in the works for Manchester City’s Savinho, though he’s unlikely to be the only forward Tottenham pursue this summer. Another centre-forward is also wanted, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison both battling recurring fitness issues that leave Spurs exposed without a dependable option leading the line.
Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi had been touted as one of Tottenham’s top striker targets, but a metatarsal injury set to keep him sidelined for months pushed the club to look at other alternatives.
Vlahovic became one such alternative after walking away from Juventus on a free transfer this summer, giving Spurs the chance to land a top-level striker without a transfer fee attached. That chance now looks all but gone. Fabrizio Romano reports the Serbian has agreed personal terms on a three-year contract with Besiktas, with a medical the final step before the deal is confirmed.
The move reunites Vlahovic with Vincenzo Italiano, the manager who guided his rise at Fiorentina before Juventus splashed out roughly €75million to sign him in 2022. His Turin spell fell short of expectations at times, but he still delivered 68 goals and 16 assists across 168 appearances for the club.
Missing out on Vlahovic is a real setback for Tottenham, who would have gained a physically dominant forward comfortable holding the ball up, attacking crosses and converting chances — traits Spurs have sorely missed in attack over the last two seasons.
With Kroupi out injured and Vlahovic set for Turkey, Tottenham’s pool of viable striker targets is shrinking quickly, putting the recruitment team under pressure to find an immediate alternative before the window shuts.
De Zerbi will be hoping the club can turn things around and deliver the firepower, physicality and experience needed to boost Spurs’ attack for the season ahead.
