Tottenham Hotspur face competition in their bid to sign Arnaud Kalimuendo
Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to bring in a new striker in the ongoing summer transfer window as Daniel Levy looks to take the goal-scoring burden off of Dominic Solanke, and the North Londoners are said to have opened talks with the representatives of Arnaud Kalimuendo over a possible transfer.
We have seen the name of the 23-year-old Frenchman come up a few times at N17 in the past few weeks at Hotspur Way as Tottenham continues to look for the perfect option to bolster the squad upfront and support (or even push) Solanke.
Kalimuendo came up through the ranks at PSG’s prestigious academy before he went on to make his name at Lens, and at the moment he is building an impressive goal catalogue at Rennes, where in over a century of appearances for the Ligue 1 side he has netted 40 goals, complemented by 14 assists.
And has been known for his antics around the penalty box
Now the North Londoners are not the only ones who have noticed his abilities, with Premier League rivals Leeds United and Nottingham Forest also being interested in his signature this summer.
The reports go on to confirm that all three clubs have made some contact with the 23-year-old’s representatives, with his current employer said to be holding out for a £30 million fee this summer.
Why Tottenham are interested in Kalimuendo
Given that Solanke didn’t find his rhythm in his first season at N17, given how it was hampered with injuries and inconsistency, Daniel Levy knows that you cannot lean on one man post-Kane to lead the line, and this is where Kalimuendo comes into the picture, given that he has that sharp movement complemented by his clever link-up play. He also has a knack for finding pockets of space in crowded boxes.
Now we all know that when you are waiting for someone like him, you would not grab a lot of headlines, but the 23-year-old is quite tidy and efficient. And then, given that he is to play under Thomas Frank, you can also get a lot from his ability to play across the front.
We know that Thomas Frank likes to have mobile and hard-working forwards who can press and link with the players around him whilst rotating with Kalimuendo, given that he ticks a lot of boxes.
Then there is this Leeds and Forest factor
With Bamford out of the picture at Elland Road, complemented by the fact that Mateo Joseph is also looking to move back to Spain, Leeds United are desperate to bring a new #9, and given that they have admired Kalimuendo for years, Leeds are prepared to spend for his signature (via. Team Talk).
And Forest are also in the mix as they try to sign someone who can complement Wood.
So while Levy is very much in the conversation, this is a proper three-way tug-of-war, and now it will be on who moves first and who blinks the cleanest to get his signatures.
