Why Tottenham must go all out to sign Vedat Muriqi in January
According to Turkish media outlet Milliyet (h/t The Sun), Tottenham have stepped up their hunt for Fenerbahce’s striker Vedat Muriqi.
The Istanbul outfit signed Muriqi from Super Lig rivals Ceykur Rizespor in July and since then, he has scored 9 goals in 13 league games, also providing 2 assists in the process. And the report confirms that Tottenham have made several checks on the Kosovan international previously.
The report also suggests that Muriqi has gained the attention of Premier League clubs Manchester United and Bournemouth. But Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has moved ahead in the queue after sending scouts to watch the forward in Fenerbahce’s clash against Genclerbirligi Ankara (h/t The Sun).
The 25-year-old once again impressed by scoring a brace in their 5-2 win. The centre-forward has performed consistently this season and has become a key member in Ersun Yanal’s squad, despite the 19-time Turkish champions placed 5th in the standings outside the Europa League spot.
On the other hand, Tottenham are in a similar fate as they are yet to make it to the top four. They have managed to jump to the upper half of the table since Mourinho’s appointment as the manager. And now, the Portuguese must strengthen his squad in January.
In-form Harry Kane is the only established centre-forward available at Mourinho’s disposal and it would be good if the manager addresses this issue and brings in reinforcements to lead the attack in Kane’s absence.
Teenager Troy Parrott was introduced for the first time late into the game against Burnley and he showed enough confidence upfront. That said, it is unlikely that he would be a reliable back-up for their talisman.
In that case, Vedat Muriqi would be a better plan for the Lilywhites. He has enough experience after playing 93 Turkish top-flight games. He has scored goals regularly for his teams in recent years and has been instrumental for Kosovo with 8 goals in 23 international games.
According to Whoscored, Muriqi has registered an average of 3.9 shots, 1.8 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the Super Lig this term. With an average of 27.5 passes a game, he has enjoyed a pass success rate of 70.1%.
The 6ft 4in striker can make use of his towering presence inside the box could prove to be a game-changer from the bench. His calmness in front of goal would be an added bonus for Tottenham.
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Verdict
Hence, Tottenham must not hesitate to go all out to sign Muriqi in January. It would be helpful to alleviate the burden on Harry Kane, who has been their lone striker for a long time now.