Tottenham Hotspur were dealt a major blow earlier this month when Harry Kane suffered an injury that is expected to keep him out for the rest of the season.

The news came as a serious setback for Spurs boss Jose Mourinho; he has gone out of his way to sing the England striker’s praises since joining the club as manager, describing him as ‘absolutely phenomenal’. And given the way Mourinho likes to set his teams up, with a dominant central striker acting as the main focal point, the absence of Kane in that position significantly affects the way he wants to play.

Such an injury could have a big effect on Spurs’ ambitions this season. Mourinho was given the job to turn what began as a poor season under the popular Mauricio Pochettino around, and after a reasonable start Spurs have stuttered in recent weeks, with six wins in 14 games and five defeats. Mourinho’s remit is clear: get the club in the Champions League. But with no Harry Kane in the team that task is a lot harder.

With the January transfer window open, and following the signing of Gedson Fernandes from Benfica, all noises suggest Spurs will enter the market this January for a striker to help fill Kane’s absence. But, as is commonly repeated in football circles, doing business in January is a tricky prospect.

Using our partnership with our friends at Wyscout, the leading video and scouting platform in football, let’s take a look at some options for players Spurs could look to sign in January.

SEE ALSO: Just Football announces official partnership with Wyscout

For the purposes of this analysis we have decided to set some parameters. The challenge here is not to name the best strikers available – that would be too easy and also unrealistic in the January market. The best strikers will not be available for transfer.

Instead our aim is to look at undervalued or overlooked players who would offer a threat, can score goals and – crucially for the purposes of this article – would likely be okay playing second fiddle to Kane when he returns from injury.

As such, we have decided to look at players around Europe’s top five leagues who have played 700 league minutes or less this season. This means players who have either been injured but demonstrate high goalscoring quality in limited game time, players used to sitting on the bench, or those not used to being the main man for their club, who nonetheless offer ability, goals and can be relied upon to accept a squad role when Kane returns.

Finding Spurs a new striker – 7 options

Duvan Zapata

Club: Atalanta | Age: 28 | Goals per 90 (2019/2020): 0.88 (NB – all stats correct up to 18.1.2020)



A player I really like, and would have been very happy to see in the Premier League, is Colombian powerhouse Duvan Zapata. He fits the criteria here having not played too often this season due to injury caused by an abductor muscle tear, and his goal record in terms of minutes per goal is very impressive – six goals this season from 616 minutes played. In total he has 80 goals from 204 games during his time in Italy.

However, this one is not happening. Zapata has been brilliant since his loan move from Sampdoria, and with a market value of €45 million and goals in the Champions League, where Atalanta managed to qualify from a group that included Manchester City, on the day this article was written Atalanta confirmed they have made his loan move permanent, which makes sense and really is something they are right to do.

Shame as he would be a good fit for Spurs and Mourinho would love his intensity, athleticism and physical prowess. Oh well. Moving on…

Paco Alcacer

Club: Borussia Dortmund | Age: 26 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.8



Out of favour due to the arrival of teen sensation Erling Braut Haaland, signed from RB Salzburg during the Bundesliga winter break, the writing is on the wall for Spanish forward Paco Alcacer at Borussia Dortmund.

The striker was not even named in the squad for Dortmund’s first game back from the winter break against Augsburg, and reports in Spain suggest the Spanish international has fallen out with the German giants and expressed his desire to leave. It would be a move that appears to suit all parties.

Alcacer is said to prefer a return to Spain, but his credentials and goalscoring record should pique Spurs’ interest.

The 26-year-old, who has a market value of roughly £35 million, is scoring goals this season at a rate of 0.8 goals per 90, registering five goals in his limited game time (565 league minutes). He’s also averaging a respectable 0.48 key passes per 90, a shots on target percentage of 47% and a goal conversion rate of 33.3%. For reference, Harry Kane’s conversion rate this season lands at 20%.

Dortmund have a plethora of exciting talents in forward areas – think Jadon Sancho, Haaland, Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard and Marco Reus among others – so there is a more than reasonable chance Spurs could look to pick up Paco at a fraction of his market value. A move would make sense – just don’t say the words ‘next Roberto Soldado’ too loudly.

Andreas Cornelius

Club: Parma on loan from Atalanta | Age: 26 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.92

Dubbed a flop after his time at Cardiff City during which he failed to score a goal in 11 appearances, the truth is that unfortunate spell does not define Andreas Cornelius as a player.

A victim of circumstance in a dreadful Cardiff side riddled with off-field turmoil, Cornelius had just turned 20 when Cardiff paid £7.5 million for him in 2013, and was moving to the Premier League from the Danish Superliga – a massive step up in quality. Caught in the middle of an ongoing feud between then manager Malky Mackay and owner Vincent Tan, it was always a recipe for disaster.

Cornelius has progressed since that torrid six-month spell in Wales and has gone on to show himself as a capable forward and a highly robust target man. What stands him out here is that he’s the type of forward Jose Mourinho would love – strong, aggressive and a big physical presence.

In part due to injury, the Dane has not played consistently this season for Parma, but has still scored six goals in 584 minutes at a rate of 0.92 goals per 90. What’s more, he is the archetypal target man, a player who dominates aerially and can bully defenders in the box or from set pieces.

Cornelius has said he is ‘not locked’ on a return to the Premier League, likely in a move to play his negative past experiences down, but a chance to return to England and prove a few people wrong would surely appeal to the giant striker. He’d be affordable and his physical profile would definitely fit the criteria Mourinho looks for in a number nine.

Josh Maja

Club: Girondins Bordeaux | Age: 21 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.66

Nigerian youngster Josh Maja is an exciting talent who left Sunderland for Girondins Bordeaux in France’s Ligue 1 in 2019. This season his league minutes have been restricted as he adapts to a new life and league, but in his 686 minutes of game time he has scored five goals, showing an instinct for goal and the raw potential that has him in the notebooks of many a scout in England eyeing his probable return to English football one day.

Maja joined Bordeaux from Sunderland following their relegation to League One, costing £3.5 million, but Bordeaux are likely to make that fee back five-fold should they eventually cash in on the dynamic forward. He’s been described as one of the club’s best finishers by Bordeaux coach Paulo Sousa and he is a willing learner, good in tight spaces and an athletic player who will improve.

Maja probably isn’t a Mourinho-type player, particularly as a replacement for Kane, but Bordeaux have financial issues that would mean they would probably be open to a big profit on the Nigerian international. He is the type of versatile forward who would strengthen Spurs’ options in forward areas for years to come.

Only problem? He is a die-hard Arsenal fan.

Luca Waldschmidt

Club: SC Freiburg | Age: 23 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.63

A player who stood out at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships last summer, scoring perhaps the goal of the tournament, German international Luca Waldschmidt ranks highly for goals per 90 minutes played this season.

With an average of 3.13 shots per 90 Waldschmidt is definitely not afraid to have a crack at goal. He’s managed 575 minutes of league football for Freiburg scoring four goals in eight appearances, but suffered a knee injury that kept the promising German out of action for several weeks. He has 15 goals in 90 league games in the Bundesliga with eight assists, and should improve that as he matures.

Waldschmidt is more of a second striker than an out-and-out number nine, more in the mould of a Roberto Firmino in terms of movement and the positions he takes up. He likes to drop deeper, drifting wide and centrally to find space and time to hit shots with that powerful left foot of his. He also has an eye for the spectacular, scoring wonderful goals from range against Borussia Dortmund and Fortuna Dusseldorf this season.

If he can keep fit and sharp the 23-year-old is a candidate to be part of Germany’s Euro 2020 squad, but his release clause at Freiburg is thought to be very affordable – less than £30 million. He might be one to look at now before his value rockets in the summer.

Patrik Schick

Club: RB Leipzig on loan from AS Roma | Age: 23 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.96

Ankle problems put the brakes on Czech international forward Patrik Schick‘s season-long loan deal at RB Leipzig, meaning for minutes played he fits the criteria we’re looking for here. He’s also not always relied upon for 90 minutes at the Bundesliga league leaders – in fact the 23-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes at his loan club, but Schick has quality in abundance and is sure to attract Premier League clubs at some point in the coming years if he continues to develop.

At 6 ft 2 inches Schick is tall, he can dribble, averaging 5.74 dribbles per 90, can finish off both feet and is good in the air. His four Bundesliga goals before the winter break display his variety of finishing quality, a goal at Paderborn in November a magnificent close control turn in a tight space and dink over the keeper that demonstrated Schick’s high level of technical ability and composure in front of goal.

Schick scored eight goals in 58 games for Roma but has four in nine already for RB Leipzig, showing signs of increasing reliability. He is athletic, can play with his back to goal, would likely not mind rotating with Kane when he returns from injury and can definitely improve. It’s doubtful Leipzig would want to lose him while chasing the Bundesliga title but his numbers suggest Spurs should look into him in their quest for a new forward.

Patrik #Schick really took off towards the end of the year 🚀 More to come… #RBLFCU pic.twitter.com/pctAilIF7q — Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 18, 2020

Andre Silva

Club: Eintracht Frankfurt on loan from AC Milan | Age: 24 | Goals per 90 (2019/20): 0.42

It seems in some way comforting to learn that Spurs have actually already been linked to Andre Silva this January window. Tottenham reportedly made enquiries to Eintracht Frankfurt and parent club AC Milan as to the striker’s availability, and given his appearance on our list it shows that perhaps we are not too far apart our thinking when it comes to scouting Spurs a new forward.

Silva was loaned to Frankfurt after struggling in Milan, forming part of a swap deal that saw Ante Rebic head in the opposite direction. He started well in Germany, scoring three goals in four games and earning the praise of his manager, but suffered an Achilles tendon injury that set him back and saw him miss much-needed game time.

Since then the 24-year-old has drifted down the pecking order at Eintracht, and may be available as a loan option. So far this season he’s played 11 games (642 minutes) and scored three goals. The Portuguese international is useful in the air, can score with both feet and is creative in his all-round play, averaging 0.84 key passes per 90 minutes this season.

Add the Portuguese connection to the fact his stock is lower than it might normally be and he could be a smart stop-gap.

Which striker do you think Spurs should sign in January? Let us know and follow us on Twitter @JustFootball, on Facebook or Instagram.

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