Big Tottenham signing ‘vulnerable’ with January upgrade ‘inevitable’ unless he gets his act together

Richarlison has been warned that he may be the weak link preventing Tottenham Hotspur from being classed as Premier League title contenders.

Ange Postecoglou has inspired a fine start to a new era at Tottenham, who are unbeaten after eight games and top of the Premier League table as a result. For a side who finished outside the European qualification places last season, it has been an instant turnaround.

Their resurgence has been all the more impressive given it has come after the sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich this summer. Despite losing their all-time leading goalscorer, Tottenham have been finding ways to hurt their opponents.

Nevertheless, the main centre-forward still at their disposal – Richarlison – has only scored once in the league this season. Perhaps if they had managed to sign a proven replacement for Kane, they could be even more of a force to be reckoned with.

That is the opinion of Tony Cascarino, who when asked by Natalie Sawyer on talkSPORT if Spurs are in the title race replied: “I think they would be if they can hang in there until Christmas and then make a signing that adds even more to their forward line, that is more natural, I think that’s inevitable.

“Unless Richarlison finds an absolute period to his game where he improves to a much different level, he’s the one that’s vulnerable at the moment in that forward line where you’re thinking there has to be more from him.”

After arriving from Everton last summer, Richarlison only scored once in 27 league appearances during his debut season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham did sign another striker around the same time as Kane’s exit back in August, but Alejo Veliz is more one for the future and has only made two substitute appearances so far.

Other attack-minded reinforcements to the Tottenham squad in recent months have included James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, but neither of those players are naturally no.9s.

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Tottenham on track for European return

Cascarino concluded that finishing in the top four would be an outstanding achievement in its own right for Postecoglou and his side, so perhaps that Champions League territory is what they should be targeting at this stage of their evolution.

Richarlison, for what it’s worth, remains under contract in north London until 2027. But at the age of 26, he should be showing more reliable form than he has been doing since he left Everton.

Some of the strikers to be linked with Tottenham ahead of the January transfer window include Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, Lille’s Jonathan David and Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy.