There have been reports that Tottenham Hotspurs are ready to cash in on summer signing Vincent Janssen in the summer and use the funds from his sale to purchase Burnley’s Andre Gray.
Gray has put up some impressive display in his first Premier League Season with the Clarets and has a result has attracted attention from several top clubs in the league.
Janssen transferred to Tottenham in the summer of 2016 after he had an outstanding season with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, picking up 3 goals in 49 games but he has fallen short in the Premier League with just 1 goal in 15 league appearance.
Spurs’ leading striker have been on an injury enforced leave for a while now after sustaining an ankle injury and Janssen lacks the skill to fill the void the Englishman’s absence created and has proved to be unreliable. With this, Pochettino has opted for Son Heung-Min and has put his goal expectations on the likes of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen.
The Dutchman seemed as if he was improving in the last two games for Spurs, but the reports claims the club are looking to reinforce their strike force and Gray is their top target for the position.
The 25-year old started his career from non-league clubs like Hinckley United and Luton Town, before moving to Championship side Brentford. He was featured consistently in his first season with Sean Dyche’s side, leading the side to rise from relegation to the Premier League netting 23 goals in 41 Championship appearances.
He has performing well in the Premier League, having scored 8 goals from 26 League appearances. His contract with Burnley is valid for another year and this makes him all the more an attractive target, considering Tottenham will have less to spend in the summer due to the construction of their new stadium.
Gray is so skilled he does not necessarily need a partner to play alongside him. He is a good dribbler and a good finisher. But his contribution towards defense is questionable and this is highly needed for the way Tottenham plays and it is known that Pochetino expect all his players to contribute in the defensive half.
He will no doubt get goals for Tottenham, but he possibly will not get past being a back-up player for the North Londoners. Janssen, on the other hand, is still 22 and has shown great progress, having sprinted to the Premier League in a very short time from the Dutch second division. He may have started his first campaign on a bad note, but Tottenham should exercise more patient with him as he has potential of becoming better than he is now.
Adding Gray to the line-up will definitely add more depth to the Spurs squad and increase their chances in the Champions League. At 25, he still has the best of his career ahead of him and the fact that he is English bred increases the benefit of having him in the squad. Spurs should make a move for him but not as a replacement for Janssen as the 22-year old is worth keeping at least for another season.