The backline and midfield unit have been significantly strengthened this summer at Tottenham Hotspur, but who will be the leading man in the middle?
Roberto De Zerbi’s current midfield options leave a lot to be desired, with Dominic Solanke scoring just 12 Premier League goals in the past two seasons, while Richarlison has netted just 27 since arriving in 2022.
Considering the pair joined for a combined fee north of £120m, that’s still not quite the level, ensuring Spurs have to get it right in terms of signing the next striker in north London.
By all accounts, that could be Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, the 20-year-old who could be the next big-money move in the forward market.
How Kroupi compared to the Premier League strikers signed last season
Midfield is the best at the moment, but last year, almost every Premier League outfit was big on the new striker, and with varying degrees of success at that.
Viktor Gyokeres played his part in Arsenal’s title success, leading the Gunners’ goalscoring charts with 14 league goals, a tally equaled by Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Chelsea’s Joao Pedro fell short.
Kroupi, with 13 goals, was not far behind following his arrival in England in 2025, the then-youngster joining from Lorient after scoring 22 goals in Ligue 2 last season.
Elsewhere, both Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike hit double figures for Manchester United and Liverpool, respectively, although injury and fitness reduced £125m man Alexander Isak to a league-low three goals.
In terms of 90 goals against the Premier League players in total, Kroupi is ranked third, behind only Will Osula and Erling Haaland, proving that he is a successful player for the Cherries.
|
Premier League 25/26 – 90 goals |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The player |
Terms P90 |
Goals |
|
Haaland |
0.82 |
27 |
|
The one who resigns |
0.78 |
7 |
|
Kroupi |
0.70 |
13 |
|
Sesko |
0.61 |
11 |
|
Thiago |
0.60 |
22 |
|
Gyokeres |
0.57 |
14 |
|
Church |
0.57 |
2 |
|
Flemming |
0.56 |
11 |
|
Male |
0.56 |
4 |
|
Ticked |
0.55 |
11 |
Kroupi also missed just three ‘big chances’, while Gyokeres and Calvert-Lewin’s boys missed 13 and 20 respectively, despite slightly improving the youngster’s goal tally.
Bournemouth, apparently, have secured a deal for their £12m man, with reports suggesting they can now fetch around £90m.
He seems worth the investment from Spurs’ point of view, although can De Zerbi get a return of his own from the position?
How Spurs can sign “one of the best strikers in the world”
Kroupi appears set to join the north Londoners this summer, with the issue of getting a transfer fee agreed, with the Cherries unlikely to come cheap.
As interest from rivals grows, De Zerbi and his teammates appear to be planning other possible moves, with Dusan Vlahovic one man said to be in the works.
As noted by TEAMtalk, the Serbian is said to be a ‘back-up’ option for Spurs, should they lose Kroupi, with the top striker currently a free agent after leaving Juventus last month.
The 26-year-old has failed to agree a new contract with the Turin outfit, which is why he is now on a free transfer, with the possibility of any suitors pouncing on his signature.
Indeed, although perhaps not seeing enough going forward, Vlahovic is still “one of the best strikers in the world”, in the opinion of Italian great Luca Toni, having been involved in Serie A for so long.
Kroupi is a man on the rise, having scored 13 Premier League goals last season, after his heroics in Ligue 2 last year, but he is not boasting the same feat as Vlahovic yet.
A powerhouse of a striker at 6 foot 4, left footed at his best he is such a weapon, a man who can do wonders when fit and shooting.
Last season saw him start 11 Serie A games due to injury, although Juve still scored seven goals, enjoying the end of the campaign.
Having been in Italy since the 2018/19 season, the Fiorentina man hit double figures in league goals every year between the start of 2020/21 and 2024/25, his best coming in 2021/22 after scoring 24 goals.
His record in Serie A is excellent, as he has scored 94 in 221 games, and in all competitions, he has scored 68 out of 168 for Juventus and 49 out of 108 in Florence.
With just 16 in 41 caps at international level, this is a man who has proven his quality for some time now, perhaps needing a fresh start after so long at the Allianz Stadium.
Kroupi, 20, may be able to reach such a high level thanks to his form over the past two years, but he does not boast the experience yet to suggest he is here to stay for the long haul, in the same way as Vlahovic.
Of course, the Serbian’s injury record of late may be a concern, but what a force to be reckoned with, the kind of player who could be a niche, focal point at the back end of Spurs’ attack.
