Tottenham have scouted Spartak Moscow striker Manfred Ugalde this season
Tottenham Hotspur are expected to be active in the upcoming January transfer window, as Daniel Levy looks to back Ange Postecoglou in a bid to get the season back on track.
Spurs have endured a hugely inconsistent season, with a spate of injuries hampering the progress Ange Postecoglou had hoped to make in his second season in North London. The Lilywhites have looking to bring in a striker in the upcoming 2025 transfer intervals—someone capable of not only playing a backup role to Dominic Solanke but also competing for the starting role with the Englishman.
Spartak Moscow striker Manfred Ugalde has been subject to links with a move to White Hart Lane. Clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are also chasing the young Costa Rican, who has become one of the most discussed players in Europe following a sparkling season in Russia.
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Manfred Ugalde has scored 15 goals in 18 league appearances for Spartak Moscow. By supplying three assists, he has also shown the creative side of his game. He has undoubtedly been among the standout players in the first half of the Russian Premier League season – which is now on a break until March.
The South American’s displays have caught the attention of several elite clubs across Europe, with Spurs among one of those. However, former Russia Under-21 coach, Igor Kolyanov, has now expressed doubts over whether Ugalde is ready to join a Premier League side midway through the season. When asked about the speculation surrounding Ugalde‘s future, Kolyanov told Championat:
“For me, Ugalde has not yet grown up to [the level of] Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea. He should finish the season at Spartak, and then we will see.
“In the long run, he may suit these clubs. But, now, he simply cannot handle it. If he suddenly moves there, he simply will not play. England is a very difficult championship.”
Kolyanov’s piece of advice may be helpful for Ugalde in deciding what he wants to do with his career; whether he wishes to stay and complete the entire season in Moscow or jump at the chance of joining a club in Europe if a tantalizing offer is tabled.
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A deal for the centre-forward would not be hard for the Premier League clubs to pull off as he has a £25m release clause in his contract which runs until June 2028 (Transfermarkt).
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With that said, Kolyanov asserting that the Costa Rican international is not yet ready to sustain the demands of Premier League football should be enough to alert Tottenham from avoiding tabling a January offer. It would be better for Spurs to find someone experienced to fulfil the role of a backup to Solanke.