Arkadiusz Milik - The ideal striker to ease the burden on Kane for Tottenham
A problem position for Tottenham for over a year now has been finding a suitable backup for Harry Kane. When fit, Kane starts - it really is as simple as that. When Fernando Llorente joined from Swansea in 2017, Spurs landed the ideal cover for Kane. The experienced Spaniard, then 32, was happy to play second fiddle for the England captain and offered an alternative attacking threat for the Tottenham star.
Yet when Llorente left for Napoli last summer, there was a gap in the squad that needed plugging. Spurs, however, were never able to fill that void. Any striker linked with a move to Spurs is well aware of the pecking order at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which leaves the north London outfit somewhat between a rock and a hard place.
Then, in January, disaster struck. Kane pulled up with a hamstring problem in Spurs' 1-0 loss at Southampton that would keep him sidelined until Premier League action resumed post-lockdown in June. Between the New Year's Day defeat at St. Mary's and the 1-1 draw with Burnley in early March, the final round of games before the campaign was put in the backburner, Spurs struggled in the final third.
Steven Bergwijn arrived in January to help ease the burden on the frontline, while Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli were both used as the lead striker, when fit, during those eight weeks, but therein lies the issue. These three are players who are able to play as a striker, yet it isn't their strongest position. It's an area of concern for Jose Mourinho on the eve of the new season, but is one Spurs are seeking to rectify over the coming weeks.
The club have been uncharacteristically busy in the market so far this summer having secured the services of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart and Matt Doherty as Spurs look to Premier League experienced personnel to boost the squad. A similar approach has been mooted in the push for a new striker, with Troy Deeney, Josh King and Callum Wilson all linked with a move to Mourinho's side, but reports of late suggest Spurs are casting their net further afield.
Salzburg star Patson Daka has been linked with a switch, but both player and club are keen on avoiding a summer exit, while Habib Diallo, a target for the club back in January, has also been mooted with a move to England before next month's deadline. Yet it may be that Spurs return from Naples with a striker in tow in their bid to sort their attacking issue.
Arkadiusz Milik is expected to leave Napoli this summer after Dries Mertens penned a new deal with the Serie A side earlier this year. It was therefore clear that Mertens would be first choice under Gennaro Gattuso, which has prompted Milik to consider his future. With less than a year left to run on his current deal, Aurelio De Laurentiis is prepared to cash in on the Polish hitman rather than lose him on a free next year.
As such, this benefits Spurs as they look to negotiate a cut-price deal for Milik in Mourinho's push for a new frontman. The Poland international has scored just 38 league goals during his time in Italy, but much of that is due to back-to-back serious knee injuries on the back of his arrival from Ajax and that restricted him to just seven league starts in his first two seasons in Italy.
Yet, he proved an adequate goalscorer in 2018/19, were he mustered 17 goals and an additional three assists. A lack of regular game time has, understandably, limited his impact in the final third, but as a striker to provide competition and cover for Kane within Spurs' budget, they could do a lot worse than pursue Milik this summer.
And while a striker approaching his peak years won't be happy with playing second fiddle to Kane, given Spurs' hectic fixture list this season and the former's recent injury issues, Milik can rest assured he'd garner regular game time for Mourinho's side. What's more, Milik would afford Mourinho great attacking flexibility and the opportunity to switch his offensive when the opportunity presents itself.
In 2018/19, Napoli largely played in a 4-4-2 setup, a staple of Carlo Ancelotti, and it was in this system where Milik thrived alongside Mertens or Lorenzo Insigne. This ability to either play as the lead frontman or in a two is an added bonus for Mourinho and Spurs, and is perhaps another reason behind their rumoured pursuit of Milik.
Crucially, though, is that Spurs need a player to help ease the burden on Kane and Milik fits the bill. Having scored goals with relative ease in the Eredivisie and Serie A, the 26-year-old boasts the big league and European experience to help fire Spurs back to the Champions League, and to silverware, too. "I want, I need a striker," Mourinho said on Friday and if there is a deal to be done for Milik, then Spurs should jump at the chance to bring him to England.
