- Jan 27, 2011
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Tottenham join chase for £30m Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek
Tottenham will push to sign a striker this month as they react to the long-term absence of Harry Kane and they have joined the chase for Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek
www.theguardian.com
Tottenham will push to sign a striker this month as they react to the long-term absence of Harry Kane and they have joined the chase for Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek. Milan, who have re-signed their former centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, are prepared to sell Piatek, a 24-year-old Poland international, if they can recoup the £30m they paid to take him from Genoa last January.
An expensive permanent deal would not appear to suit Spurs or, indeed, Newcastle and Aston Villa, who have also shown an interest in Piatek. The Premier League clubs would prefer a loan. Milan do not want that but it remains to be seen whether their position changes in the countdown to deadline.
Spurs have lost Kane to a hamstring tear until the beginning of March at least, leaving José Mourinho without a recognised, senior centre-forward. He complained after the 1-1 FA Cup draw at Middlesbrough on Sunday that the team were “playing without a striker”.
Mourinho wants to makes moves during the mid-season window but he knows that funds are tight and much will depend on the thinking of the chairman, Daniel Levy. The future of Christian Eriksen is another important factor. If Spurs were to sell the Denmark midfielder, who is out of contract in the summer, they would have greater room for manoeuvre.
Spurs’s line for January is that if the right player were to be available and represented a sound long-term investment rather than a quick fix, they could consider it, albeit it would be easier to do so with money from a potential Eriksen sale. Mourinho hopes that there could yet be room for a smart and opportunistic addition, particularly as injuries bite.
Kane’s preeminence at Spurs means that it is difficult for them to attract other strikers and Piatek is not agitating to leave Milan, even though he has struggled for goals this season. He will see how Ibrahimovic’s arrival plays out, with the manager, Stefano Pioli, saying he could now use a system with two strikers. Equally, Piatek might see the appeal of a short-term move to Spurs and so might Milan. He would stand to have opportunity in Kane’s absence, including in the Champions League last 16 against RB Leipzig, and Milan could see his value rise.
Interesting one, I believe Hytner is considered well connected for us.