Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League • England

Tottenham and Arsenal ramp up moves for outstanding French striker who could replace Harry Kane next season

elye wahi montpellier

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund are all interested in making a summer move for Montpellier centre-forward Elye Wahi, according to reports. 

The 20-year-old has been one of the few positives for his team this season, who currently sit in a disappointing 14th place in the table.

Touted to have huge potential, Wahi could prove to be a big signing for whoever wins the race, with three huge European clubs vying for his signature.

Arsenal’s interest in the French forward began in January, as Mikel Arteta considered a late swoop to bring in cover for the injured Gabriel Jesus.

This season, so far, Wahi has scored eight goals in 21 Ligue 1 appearances, as well as making two assists, giving him an impressive average of 0.5 goal contributions per game – in a struggling Montpellier side.

As a result of his good form, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund have now joined the race for the striker, according to French outlet Telefoot

They state: “Elye Wahi is in the sights of the greats of Europe. According to our information, Arsenal, Tottenham, or Dortmund are dreaming of Wahi next summer.”

Back in January, Wahi was rated at €30m (approx. £26.6m) by his club and it seems unlikely that they would budge from that valuation this summer. Indeed, his contract is valid until 2025, so Montpellier are under no immediate pressure to sell.

However, if Montpellier do get relegated, they may be forced to sell some of their prized assets and Wahi certainly fits into that category.

Wahi: Jesus cover, or Kane replacement?

As mentioned, the French side are currently in 14th place in the table – seven points away from the drop zone, with four teams set to be relegated at the end of the season.

However, despite Montpellier’s poor form, Wahi’s quality has been clear for all to see. As well as scoring goals, his performances have been consistently good and he arguably has the qualities required to succeed in the Premier League.

His best attributes are what strikers need most: shooting. Wahi has shown a wide range of finishes with the goals he’s scored this season, netting volleys, headers, one-on-one and long-range shots from ambitious angles.

For Arsenal, bringing in a new, quality striker could prove to be valuable for Arteta. Gabriel Jesus looked electric for the Gunners prior to his injury, while Eddie Nketiah has filled in admirably in his absence.

But, added support is never a bad thing, so it would be a smart move for Arsenal to bring in Wahi, who could go on to become one of Europe’s best strikers in the future.

Although, Tottenham could arguably be more in need of a new centre forward after Harry Kane has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent weeks, with Bayern Munich also interested in him.

Antonio Conte does not seem overly convinced by Richarlison so far either, so even if Kane stays, he may look to bring in added cover and Wahi could prove to be an excellent long-term investment.

With all that in mind, we could be set for a bidding war between the two North London rivals this summer.

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