Last summer, Tottenham invested 65 million pounds in striker Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, and while there is hope that the well-rounded No. 9 can have a bigger Year 2 under Thomas Frank's tutelage in North London, there's a sense that Spurs still need to snag another striker in the summer 2025 transfer window.
Solanke is a decent player, but he has been in English football for years with only one notable scoring season to show, which came in 2023/24 for the Cherries when he scored 19 goals. Last season, Solanke's scoring output went down to nine goals, and even though he was decisive in the Europa League with five, there's a feeling that Spurs need to sign a new striker to compete and push the big man.
Richarlison's days in Tottenham are likely behind him, and so Spurs need to sign a high-upside, experienced striker who can score goals and potentially even threaten for 20 in a season. Since Solanke is decent enough, Spurs can afford to gamble on a striker that is substantially cheaper than 65 million pounds but has more scoring upside.
Enter Dusan Vlahovic. Tottenham were linked to the Juventus star more than a month ago, and if Fabio Paratici returns to Spurs in any capacity this summer, then you can expect the Vlahovic transfer rumors to heat up even more.
A market opportunity every Premier League club needs to watch
Right now, Vlahovic is a market opportunity that every top club in England should be thinking about, because the Juventus transfer flop could be ready to prove everyone wrong soon. According to a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport's top Juve beat writer Fabiana della Valle, Vlahovic is making his intentions felt by rejecting both a sale out of Turin this summer and a new contract offer from the Bianconeri.
Vlahovic has one year left on his contract, and his aim appears to be to run down said contract and move elsewhere. He doesn't want a sale or stay with a club that doesn't seem to value building around him and has only destroyed his stock after he was Europe's second best up-and-coming striker behind Erling Haaland before the Juve transfer.
The Serbian international wants to have his pick of any team in the summer 2026 transfer window, moving for free and cashing in on all the bonus money and increased wages without kicking anything back to Juventus.
Tottenham may or may not still have a need at striker by that time next summer, but if they do and Solanke doesn't work out as a full-time starter, Frank doesn't bring in Yoane Wissa, and Richarlison ends up going, Vlahovic could be a perfect flier for free as a 26-year-old No. 9 only just entering his prime. He'd be the kind of big-name, value signing the likes of Daniel Levy love and the likes of Paratici want to hit a home run on.