Spurs lining up move to hijack another Man Utd transfer

It’s hard not to be impressed by the speed and ruthlessness of Tottenham Hotspur‘s summer business so far, a far cry from what has become the norm in north London in recent times.

Under Roberto De Zerbi‘s watch, the Lilywhites have brought in an almost entirely new backline, while going big again in the midfield unit amid deals for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

The north Londoners are working their way up the pitch, it would seem, with the next priority set to be to address the issues in attack, with the forward line having been found wanting in 2025/26.

Too many injuries, simply not enough consistency, with almost every major attacking signing having gone awry in the post-Harry Kane and Heung-min Son era.

Could that be about to change?

Spurs lining up move to sign £50m Man Utd target this summer

The spending might just be beginning at N17, with the club believed to be looking at an array of high-profile forwards, as De Zerbi sets up to oversee a major squad overhaul.

There have been suggestions that Spurs have been offered the chance to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan, with the Portuguese superstar set to be cast aside by new boss Ruben Amorim.

ENIC are also said to be keen on prising Eli Junior Kroupi from Bournemouth, the 20-year-old enjoying a stellar first season in the Premier League.

The young Frenchman isn’t the only top-flight target on the agenda, however, with Sky Sports reporting that Tottenham are in the running to sign Fernandes’ former West Ham United colleague, Crysencio Summerville.

The belief is that the 24-year-old winger is a priority target for Manchester United, although there is a sense that the Red Devils could need to move quickly, or risk being beaten to the punch again, as they were for Fernandes.

United are believed to have already been quoted around £50m for the Dutchman this summer, ensuring this isn’t a deal that would necessarily break the bank for either club.

Why Summerville could be a perfect Kroupi alternative

It is perhaps no surprise that Spurs are so keen on Kroupi, the Cherries starlet having been so impressive across 2025/26, scoring 13 goals following his arrival from Ligue 2 side, Lorient.

That was the best debut return by a teenager in Premier League history, with it looking as if the south coast side have yet again played a blinder with a potential star of the future.

The issue is, that despite moving to England for just £12m last year, Kroupi is now set to cost upwards of £90m, if not more, a sizeable fee for a player who has only enjoyed one season of Premier League football.

If Spurs are looking for a more affordable alternative, then Summerville might be the man, the ex-Leeds United speedster another game-changing talent who could explode at N17.

While Kroupi is a centre-forward by trade, he was regularly seen popping up on the left under Andoni Iraola last season, seemingly boasting the versatility to feature all across the forward line.

Summerville, another slight, diminutive talent, may not have been utilised often through the middle, but he can also line up on either flank, regularly deployed off the right for the Netherlands at this summer’s World Cup.

At 24, he isn’t exactly a rising star like Kroupi, yet it’s hard not to be impressed by his own fine form of late, scoring five times for the Hammers in 2026.

He’s a real box of tricks, someone who can create something out of nothing, as he showed only recently for his country after netting twice and registering two assists from his four World Cup outings.

The first of those came against Japan in the opening group game, with Summerville curling from range on his supposedly weaker left foot into the far corner.

Kroupi boasts a similar knack for the spectacular, with two of his 13 goals last term coming from outside the box, while he also scored two on his weaker left side.

Neither Summerville nor Kroupi is necessarily the most creative – having racked up just four and three ‘big chances’ created in 2025/26, respectively – but what they do offer is explosive speed and match-winning quality, something this Spurs side is currently crying out for.

Both players too have momentum following a particularly impressive calendar year, while they have both showcased that they can make an impact at Premier League level.

Indeed, getting to this point has been hard graft for the pair, with Kroupi shining in France’s second tier in 2024/25 after netting 22 goals for Lorient, while Summerville sparkled for Leeds the year prior, netting 19 goals in the Championship.

Now, a marquee switch to one of the Premier League’s elite seems like the logical next step, with the Lilywhites likely to be delighted by whichever of the duo they potentially end up with.