Tottenham Hotspur face a desperate struggle to solve their striker crisis as rivals try to take advantage of their predicament.

Head coach Jose Mourinho attempted to put on a calm facade on Friday, but claimed that he did not have a striker in the absence of the injured Harry Kane, and used Inter Milan’s pursuit of Olivier Giroud as proof that other clubs had as many as four top forwards.

Finding cover for Kane, who will be out for three months, is not Mourinho’s only headache. Spurs must also solve the problem of Moussa Sissoko’s long-term absence and will try to hijack West Ham United’s bid to sign midfielder Gedson Fernandes on loan for the rest of the season.

Despite Mourinho’s claim that Spurs would not panic, it is understood the club have already made a series of calls and inquiries over potential signings to cover Kane, who undergoes surgery on his torn hamstring this weekend.

The agent of AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek is due in England to talk to clubs, including Tottenham, but a deal to sign the Poland international this month is thought to be expensive and Spurs cannot expect any favours from former Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, who now holds the same position with the Italian club.