Ranking FIVE Tottenham striker targets from ‘dream’ Thomas Frank January capture to Brazilian gamble

Thomas Frank has not had anything like the output he wants from Tottenham Hotspur’s central strikers so far this season, with sources informing us that a new No.9 is on the agenda for January – leading to TEAMtalk ranking the club’s top five targets.

It’s fair to say that Spurs and Frank have had rotten luck with their striker options to date, with Dominic Solanke and loan signing Randal Kolo Muani spending more time on the sidelines than the pitch so far.

The irony of Richarlison being Tottenham‘s only genuine fit No.9, given all his previous injury woes, will not be lost on many – although it’s also led to some fans of the north London club to call for highly-rated home-grown talent Dane Scarlett to be given a go ahead of the Brazilian.

Genuine Spurs No.9s, not including Mathys Tel, who is still regarded as more of a winger, have contributed just four of their 31 goals in all competitions so far this season, with all four coming from Richarlison.

One major target who was known to be on the club’s radar is now off it, with TEAMtalk sources confirming that Tottenham will no longer pursue a deal for Juventus frontman Dusan Vlahovic.

We understand that Spurs stepped away from the race, with club sources indicating they will not make an approach in January, nor engage in talks if they are approached regarding his availability again.

To that end, here are five realistic striker options Spurs could sign in January, with TEAMtalk ranking them on best fits to least likely…

5: Vitor Roque (Palmeiras)

The Brazilian talent failed to shine during his time at Barcelona, but did fare a little better on loan at Real Betis before being offloaded back to his homeland in February.

The 20-year-old looks to have found his mojo again at Palmeiras, scoring 20 goals in 52 appearances and also attracting interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Signing Vitor Roque would be classed as a gamble, though, despite his clear talent. Thomas Frank needs a striker who can hit the ground running, not one who could take months to adjust to playing in England.

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4: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

A quality attacking player and one who would definitely help Tottenham, but more as a winger than a No.9 – even though Lookman can play there.

Having played more than 300 career games, the Nigerian has lined up through the middle on 40 occasions, while the majority of his appearances have come on the left flank.

That is the exact position where he should be playing, if Spurs can secure his signature, with the absence of club legend Son Heung-min fully in evidence so far this season.

There could also be good news on the Lookman signing front, following an update on his future on Thursday.

3: Jonathan David (Juventus)

While a move for one Juve frontman has been ruled out, it’s another who remains a target for Tottenham and a player they have chased for a number of windows now.

Canada international David was a prolific force at his previous club Lille, scoring 109 times in 232 games for the Ligue 1 outfit.

However, things have not gone to plan since his free transfer switch to Turin, with the 25-year-old starting just seven games for Juve and only scoring once in 14 games in total.

There is a feeling, though, that David’s playing style is not quite right for Italian football and that he is better suited to the cut and thrust of the Premier League.

With that in mind, it would come as no surprise if Tottenham reignited their interest in the forward in the new year.

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2: Samu Omorodion Aghehowa (Porto)

The Spain international has been plying his trade in Portugal since last season, having struggled to make an impact when he got a big move to Atletico Madrid a year in 2023.

After notching eight goals on loan at Alaves, Porto paid Atletico €15million for 50% of his rights and also reserved the option to buy 15% of his rights in 2025 and 2026 for €5 million each year in a rather complex arrangement.

So far this term, the talented 21-year-old attacker has scored nine times in 14 outings and has impressed with his pace, power and clinical finishing ability.

Aghehowa certainly has all the tools to be a big success in English football, and TEAMtalk insider Dean Jones has previously revealed that he is a player Tottenham scouts have been watching closely and regularly.

Aghehowa has a €100m (£87m) release clause in his contract, which runs for another four years, although it’s more likely that he can be signed for a figure in the region of €60m (£52m) instead.

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1: Ivan Toney (Al Ahli)

This has to be the main option for Tottenham in terms of ticking all the boxes they want from signing a new No.9.

Toney has a ton of Premier League experience, is still only in his late 20s and, more importantly, has worked under Thomas Frank for a number of years.

The 29-year-old England international moved to the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2024 and has gone on to score 41 goals in 59 goals for Al Ahli, albeit in less demanding conditions than top-flight football in England.

TEAMtalk have consistently reported on Tottenham’s interest in bringing Toney back to the Premier League, while talkSPORT have since jumped on that bandwagon.

There’s no smoke without fire and we expect Frank to do his utmost to try and convince Toney to join him in north London, giving the Spurs boss the lethal finisher that he craves.