One of “the best strikers in the world” could be the new Berbatov at Spurs

In the bid to replace Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur have gone down the Premier League ‘proven’ route. It’s fair to say it hasn’t worked.

Richarlison, signed on a £60m deal the year prior to Kane’s exit, has scored just 27 league goals in four seasons, while as for 2024 arrival, Dominic Solanke, the ex-Bournemouth man has netted just 12 in his two years in north London.

There had been talk of a deal for another Cherries star, in the form of Eli Junior Kroupi, although injury has put paid to that, with just over two weeks left for the Lilywhites to strengthen.

Perhaps ENIC need to widen the search, with the prior signing of Dimitar Berbatov showcasing the benefits of looking to the continent for a proven, genuinely world-class number nine.

How Berbatov compares to Spurs’ best modern strikers

The enigmatic Bulgarian already looked like a sure thing at the time of his move in the summer of 2026, having previously hit 91 goals in just 202 games for former club Bayer Leverkusen, after netting 30 in 46 games when bursting onto the scene at CSKA Sofia.

His lack of experience in English football ultimately mattered little when it came to delivering in a Spurs shirt, scoring and assisting 75 goals in just 102 games across his brief, two-season stay.

A future Premier League winner with Manchester United, Berbatov is certainly still remembered fondly in north London, with the only issue having been that he didn’t stay longer.

Of course, in terms of modern Spurs strikers, the cream of the crop is the club’s all-time top scorer, Kane, yet the Lilywhites have been blessed with so many elite number nines in the 21st century.

Across two spells, Jermain Defoe bagged 143 goals in 363 games at White Hart Lane, just ahead of Robbie Keane’s record of 122 in 306 outings for the club.

A man of that same era, Peter Crouch, remains a cult figure, albeit with the towering Englishman scoring just 24 in 93 games, well below Berbatov’s tally of 46.

The ex-Leverkusen man certainly compares favourably in terms of his scoring rate, while he could also be the type of signing that Roberto De Zerbi’s side seek to replicate this summer.

Latest on Spurs’ search for a new striker

With Football FanCast exclusively reporting previously that Richarlison is expected to be sold, with just a year left on his contract, the signing of a new number nine appears essential.

Kroupi, as already stated, had appeared to be the top target, although reports have suggested that the Lilywhites are keeping former Arsenal man, Folarin Balogun, in mind.

Elsewhere too, TEAMtalk have reported that both Spurs and the Gunners have held internal talks about potentially moving for Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen.

There has been no offers or approaches made as yet, according to the report, but ENIC are mulling over the opportunity to pounce, even with the Nigerian’s hefty wage demands likely to prove a sticking point.

One positive is that the 27-year-old appears open to the move, as he is ‘keen’ on heading to England, after seeing a prior move to Chelsea collapse in the past.

REUTERS/Umit Bektas

A breakthrough will be needed to get this over the line, but if Spurs and De Zerbi are seeking a genuinely world-class striker, in the mould of Berbatov, then Osimhen might be the man.

Indeed, like the Bulgarian, Osimhen has scored wherever he’s been so far, aside from a brief goalless spell at Wolfsburg, proving prolific in France, Belgium, Italy and now Turkey.

Just two years older than ‘Berba’ was when he signed 20 years ago, the ex-Napoli man is at the prime age for a truly big move, having thus far failed to really seal a statement switch to a truly elite club.

He did of course drag Napoli to the Scudetto back in 2022/23, but moving outside of Europe’s big five leagues to join his current side felt like an odd sideways step for a man of his talents.

There’s no denying that he’s “one of the best strikers in the world“, as hailed by compatriot Peter Etebo, having scored 175 goals in 298 club career games at senior level.

For comparison, before joining Spurs, Berbatov’s record across his time in Bulgaria and Germany stood at 121 goals in 248 games. For his country, the now-retired striker netted 48 in 75 games, with Osimhen currently scoring at a similar rate of 35 in 52 games for Nigeria.

Of course, Osimhen’s game is far more about pace and power than the ex-Spurs and Man United man, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have that silky quality too, memorably teeing up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in Naples with a stunning solo assist against Cagliari.

He’s a proper target man, a real physical focal point in attack. Even for all his class and elegance, Berbatov was also a real force to be reckoned with when leading the line.

REUTERS/Umit Bektas

This feels like a deal that, if the finances allow, Spurs should be all over this summer, with Osimhen potentially the next great modern Tottenham striker in the making.