Ayoze Pérez Back on Tottenham’s Radar

Recently relegated Newcastle striker Ayoze Pérez could yet still join Tottenham at some point this summer — or maybe not?

Way back in the January transfer window, Pérez was held up as a likely contender for the much coveted roll of Harry Kane’s Backup. The rumor, already not particularly substantial, fizzled out by the end of the month.

We all know how Kane’s season ended up being. By May he had amounted 26 goals, enough to earn him his first (and certainly not last) Premier League Golden Boot trophy.

As remarkable as Kane was (again) this past season, that Tottenham persisted with the 22-year-old being the only recognized striker in the squad was dangerous. One unfortunate injury and Mauricio Pochettino would be stuck naming Nacer Chadli or Heung-min Son at the tip of the formation.

Now, both those players proved in limited bursts that they could play those roles, but nothing quite replaces the value of a proper center forward. Tottenham’s summer was always going to be defined by their hunt for such a player, and Pérez is simply the latest of a long line of candidates linked with the north London outfit.

Tottenham doesn’t necessarily get whatever it wants however, even if the clubs’ stature improved dramatically last season. They can miss out on Michy Batshuayi, they can miss out on Moussa Dembélé, they can be rebuffed by middling Dutch teams. 

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And, evidently, they can be considered less appealing than staying with a recently regulated team like Newcastle. Pérez reportedly said that he would be content to stay on with Rafa Benitez’ outfit in their campaign for promotion back into the Premier League.

In a vacuum, that’s admirable, and even exciting. Benitez’ project at Newcastle will be an interesting story in next season’s Championship, and Pérez could see his stock rise if he stays on and performs as well his Premier League minutes suggests he can.

But while Pérez might have his reasons for staying, what is it about Tottenham that might dissuade a playing from joining?

The answer when it comes to Pérez — and indeed when it comes to any of the previous examples cited — is the lack of clear opportunity. Batshuayi, Dembélé and Pérez have already or willing likely choose clubs in which they will be the presumptive starters going into next season (sorry, Diego Costa).

Tottenham and Mauricio Pochettino can’t offer them that, not with Kane in the side. The England international will remain the first choice center forward for the foreseeable future. His efforts and accomplishments over his first two season are simply too big to ignore, and he is too potent a force to be put into a rotation with another striker.

It’s no wonder that these strikers, also young and ambitious, would look elsewhere, even if those elsewheres might not be able to offer the same incentives as Tottenham.

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Should Tottenham worry? No. There are far worse problems in this world than having Harry Kane at your disposal. The club might not be able to get its first or second choice options, but they will find a player who recognizes the benefit of being coached by Pochettino and being among this exceptional generation of Tottenham talent.