5 Strikers for Tottenham Should They Miss Christian Benteke and Leandro Damiao
Sam Tighe@@stighefootball
World Football Tactics Lead WriterJune 29, 20135 Strikers for Tottenham Should They Miss Christian Benteke and Leandro Damiao
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have two main transfer targets to solve their striking crisis.
The Metro, among many others, have linked the club with a £20 million bid for Aston Villa star Christian Benteke, while The Express have suggested Leandro Damiao is still a target after years of pursuit.
But should neither of these deals come off—and that's a distinct possibility—who else can they look to?
Here, we pick five strikers Spurs should at least consider this summer.
Alvaro Negredo, Sevilla
Where will Alvaro Negredo play next season? B/R's Samuel Marsden runs through the options as the striker's time at Sevilla seemingly comes to a close.
The BBC [1] confirmed West Ham had an ambitious bid knocked back for the striker before securing Andy Carroll, while Atletico Madrid are confirmed admirers according to Sky Sports [2].
Coming off the back of a 25-goal season his stock has never been higher, yet he won't cost an absolutely astronomical sum.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, St Etienne
Joe Kinnear's Newcastle United have been left frustrated and fruitless in their attempts to land Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, reports The Daily Mail's Colin Young [1].
£15 million wasn't enough to prize the Gabonese striker away from St. Etienne, and anyone looking to land the 24-year-old will likely need to stump up £20 million or more.
He netted 21 goals in in all competitions last season, a personal best for the former Milan youth.
Burak Yilmaz, Galatasaray
Burak Yilmaz bounced from club to club in an attempt to find a home, and Trabzonspor finally provided the platform for him to realise his potential.
After 33 goals in 34 appearances, Yilmaz won a move to Galatasaray and showed the UEFA Champions League what he's made of: Eight goals from nine appearances in Europe, in addition to 24 league strikes, makes the Turkish hitman a valued commodity at the top level.
At 27 he's entering his prime: Time for an English Premier League club to pounce.
Jozy Altidore, AZ Alkmaar
Despite being just 23 years of age, it feels like Jozy Altidore has been around forever.
The early hype stunted his development, but tucked away in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar he's evolved into a real handful on the forward line.
In the season just gone, Altidore netted 31 goals in all domestic competitions and really stepped up to the plate for the U.S. national team.
He represents a complete striking prospect and a mountain of merchandising and exposure in America.
David Villa, Barcelona
The Guardian's Dominic Fifield [1] has confirmed Tottenham Hotspur want David Villa, but not for the quoted price of £12 million.
The Barcelona forward is destined to switch clubs this summer given the recruitment of Neymar to play in the front three, and a serious amount of haggling should ensue between the two clubs.
With a FIFA World Cup one year away, Villa is seemingly below Fernando Torres and Roberto Soldado in the pecking order for Spain. If he wants another crack at another medal, he has to move.