Alderweireld urges Spurs to target Osimhen over Arsenal
Toby Alderweireld wants his old club to think big – and think fast.
The former Tottenham defender has called on Spurs to crash Arsenal’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen, insisting the Galatasaray striker is exactly the kind of ruthless finisher Roberto De Zerbi’s side are crying out for.
Tottenham only just escaped a disastrous relegation scrap last season. They have responded by throwing money at the problem. Twice, in fact.
They smashed their transfer record to land Mateus Fernandes and then broke it again for Sandro Tonali, a combined outlay of £185 million that underlines how desperate the north London club is to drag itself back into the elite. Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka have all followed through the door as the rebuild gathers pace.
Yet for all that spending, one glaring issue remains.
A proper No 9.
Spurs have explored wide forwards like Savinho, Cody Gakpo and Pedro Neto. Tempting options, but not enough for Alderweireld, who believes the club must stop flirting with wingers and go all-in on a central striker.
“Spurs could use a striker like Victor Osimhen, they need his goals because it’s what they lacked last season as well,” he told Hajper, cutting straight to the point.
The 25-year-old Nigeria international has become one of Europe’s most coveted forwards, which brings complications. Alderweireld knows the big hitters are circling – and he knows what might give them pause.
“The only concern for clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United is maybe his age. He’s not the youngest player anymore and it seems like everyone wants to find a 23-year-old superstar who can bang in goals for the next seven or eight years, and I understand that, but you also need a good mix.”
That “mix” is a theme he returns to. Alderweireld leans on his own journey, especially his formative years in the Netherlands, to make the case for pairing established stars with emerging talent.
“That’s why it can be important to sign proven players who know how things go so they can bring on the younger, potential superstars alongside them, because they can set the best example,” he explained.
Then came the example that shaped his thinking.
“I think about my time at Ajax. The mix was on another level. We had Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind and Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs de Ligt coming through. That’s what you need.”
For Tottenham, landing Osimhen would tick that box: a ready-made, battle-tested striker to lead a squad that has been heavily refreshed but still lacks a focal point in attack.
The problem? Arsenal.
Osimhen has drawn serious interest from the Gunners, and Galatasaray have already tested the waters. Reports suggest the Turkish champions recently approached Arsenal to discuss possible deals for Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, while floating the idea of Osimhen heading the other way.
At this stage, though, the noise is louder than the action. No active negotiations are believed to be underway.
Osimhen, for his part, is keeping his head down.
“I’ll focus on my job,” he said last week when asked about the speculation. “We’ll see and think about what comes next then.”
Tottenham have spent big, reshaped their squad and backed their new manager. The one piece they still lack is the one Alderweireld knows changes everything: a striker who lives for goals.
If Spurs decide that man is Victor Osimhen, are they prepared to fight Arsenal for him – and actually win?
