Ex-scout Bryan King tells Tottenham to pay over the odds for Brentford striker Igor Thiago in January
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to bring in attacking reinforcements in the winter window as they look to close the gap on their rivals.
Spurs’ struggles in attack have been widely documented this season, with the forwards not living up the expectations. The injury situation at N17 has made matters more difficult for Frank, especially with club-record signing Dominic Solanke having played only twice this season due to ankle injury. He was forced to undergo ankle surgery at the start of October, which has ruled the England international out for weeks.
Then there is Richarlison going totally going out of sorts after a bright start to the season. On loan from PSG, Randal Kolo Muani has endured a slow start to his Tottenham career due to a dead leg. He is still short of full fitness and yet to complete 90 minutes since returning from injury last month. Thus, the club bosses must prioritise the addition of a new No.9 when the transfer window reopens on January 1.
Tottenham told to pay over the odds for Brentford striker Igor Thiago
Recent reports suggest Spurs are monitoring the progress of Igor Thiago at Brentford. Thomas Frank is a strong admirer of the striker and is keen to reunite with him at White Hart Lane.
The Brazilian has finally proven himself in England under Keith Andrews, scoring six goals in 10 Premier League appearances. Only Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has scored more goals in the Premier League than Igor Thiago this term, and it looks like he is finally justifying the £30million fee that was paid by the Bees for his services in 2024.
However, given Brentford lost key players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Mark Flekken and Christian Norgaard in the summer, Keith Andrews is reluctant to part ways with Thiago during the mid-season trading period. As a result, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King has urged the north Londoners to pay over the odds to persuade Brentford to sell the 24-year-old.
“If you look at Tottenham’s centre forward hunt, they missed out on Mbeumo in the summer,” Bryan King exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Now Spurs are going for another striker from Brentford in Thiago. Unless the offer is right, with him signing for Brentford for £30m, they will want to get a similar amount of money as they did for Mbeumo.
“Because, why should they sell their centre forward halfway through the season. If Spurs want him, they’ll have to pay well over the odds for him.”
Signing Thiago in January would be difficult
Brentford are rebuilding their squad under a new manager after losing several key players and Frank to Tottenham in the summer. They will definitely not want to undermine Andrews by selling one of his key players in midst of the season.
Thiago has been brilliant for them, excelling with his physicality, running power, hold-up play and pressing. On top of that, he has netted six times, including goals against Manchester United and Liverpool. The Brazilian’s finishing skills have been impressive, making all the right noises ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Even if Tottenham comes up with a premium, it is unlikely Brentford sanction the 24-year-old’s sale in the winter window and weakens Andrews’ squad. So, having a contingency plan is important for Tottenham as they look to address their goalscoring problem.