It’s been interesting to watch Andre Villas-Boas in action during the summer transfer window. Whilst midfield additions (like Paulinho and Nacer Chadli) have flooded in, signing a new striker has proven more problematic.
Yet that’s exactly the area that needs bolstering. Whilst Tottenham’s midfield is bustling with talent, versatility and options (and will be improved dramatically by the return from injury of Sandro), the same cannot be said of the club’s forward line.
We’ve all over-analysed Jermaine Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor’s contributions (or lack of contributions) last season. Both players have proven themselves to be regular goal-scorers throughout their career, but appear to have reached a stage where they’re content to coast.
Emmanuel Adebayor in particular played like he was still waiting for a cheque to cash.
Beyond this pairing, Spurs have very few other options. It’s up to AVB to make sure Tottenham come back stronger next season, but he hasn’t delivered the goods just yet.
Still, there appears to be some movement when it comes to Roberto Soldado. Valencia’s president Amadeo Salvo has been rather forthcoming about the whole affair:
“Valencia have never had any intention of selling Soldado. If he goes it is because of contractual reasons, for 30 millions euros, not a cent less or a cent more, and the buying club must accept Valencia’s conditions of payment.” (Source: The Mirror)
In other words, Valencia don’t want to sell. The only way they’ll let Soldado go, is if Tottenham trigger his £26m buy-out clause.
This raises the question: is the Spanish forward worth that much money? Let’s answer that by taking a look at his goal-scoring record. Last season he scored 30 goals in 46 games. For the last three seasons in a row, he has scored at least 25 goals.
The man is a consummate goal-scorer. He has a goal-scoring record that would make Adebayor and Defoe blush. What’s more, he has experience at the top level and must be keen to try his luck in the Premier League. At 28-years-old, he’s no spring chicken and must surely on the hunt for one last big contract.
In many regards, Roberto Soldado looks like a good fit for Spurs. £26m is a lot of money, but there’s a good reason why Valencia wont let him go for a penny less.
Now it’s just up for Andre Villas-Boas to make a deal happen!
What’s your take? Is Roberto Soldado the right solution to Tottenham’s goal-scoring woes?
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Avb can’t make the deal happen that’s down to the money man levy! So i’m guessing we won’t get him as usual
Don’t know how well he will play in a new league but we dont seem to have many options. We have to buy a striker who is better than Defoe and Ade, that is going to cost big money. So pay the bloody money now and get Soldado and give him time to settle in before the league starts. I can understand that 26m is a lot of money for Spurs to shell out on a 28 year old. I believe he could pay for himself over the next 2/3 years. Buy him before someone else swoops.
If Levy wants Champions League then either pay the money or go for the cheaper option…Leandro Damiao but whatever you do Levy don’t do nothing coz you will be lynched this time as you have done it too many times before.
Sorry Feenix,I was writing my post as you posted. But I totally agree with you.
I just want Levy to decide either way if he wants to progress the club or not. If he does he needs to stop trying to get the upper hand on every deal,cos it won’t happen! Every now and then you need to take a gamble. Soldado,28,£26 mill. Damiao,23,£22mill. Either player would be a good signing,IF he wants us to compete for the league and champions league. If he doesn’t want to then he can bugger off an let someone come in who does!
No it ain’t he give a 50 million kitty an got baldini in so it’s down to him
Levy now knows we need strikers, but I am worried we will only buy one striker and sell Adebayor. I hope it is Soldado and hope we will buy a better support striker too. Our formation is changing and with that we need more goal scoring midfielders than strikers. So the likelihood of second striker is slim but more chance of another winger goal scorer like Chadli.
It’s not up to AVB, it’s up to Baldini and Levy. Get your facts right.
It’s in the Yid DNA to want a bargain and this will never change. DL slowly, each season has to get used to inflation in regard to players wages and Transfer Fees. Unless his mindset changes each season we will be a mid-table club. Hats off to DL whose long game is appreciated by me. Sugar (like Gold of West Ham) was tight but DL has seen player turnover (at a profit) as part of the business model and it has worked. But at least he sold and bought and since the Sugar era I would say we are much better positioned because of DL’s proactive approach. My guess is that he feels we are nearly there in regard to being a selling club and the club accounts show we wash our face and are not indebted. He knows his p****ing about in the last 2 windows cost the club in fee income from CL and he will not repeat the error this year. No new strikers means Europa L again and a loss of faith by his other “asset” – AVB as well as GB and the influx of new talent. He HAS to send a message to one and all (internally and externally) that he is serious about pushing the club on and so he will buy Soldado and maybe one other. His intentions are clear in that he has admirably jumped the hurdles and gone through hoops to achieve a new stadium (long game). We just have to hope that he doesn’t emulate the Arseholes by demanding the stadium be paid for first before he dips into the coffers for transfer funds in the years to come. The Arse lost themselves 7 years and slowly went into decline because of that strategy – that is why we caught them up. £26M is the new cringemark DL has to get used to in these new days. Extra money from TV rights will adequately fund this. The risk factor is can Soldado hack it in the PL? Nobody knows that but I see that he will want people to see that he can and he will work hard to make it happen. But I see out problem in mid-field creativity – a player with a killer pass and innovative and conveying this to our strikers, whoever they are, to gamble on runs behind defence to create chances INSIDE the box. We seem to be blessed with great possession figures but stuck with the ball on the edge of the box unable to get INSIDE the box often enough – hence our lack of penalties last year. AVB has to engender play in the box. My opinion is that Soldado will be done or the damage to the dealmakers will be catastrophic and fan uproar unprecedented. COYS
Sadly we’ve seen it before. Levy will play games and sell Bale at the eleventh hour for the maximum price leaving AVB et al with no time to bring in the quality players needed to boost the strike force. Oh well maybe Wenger will have a bad year.
Levy is key to this deal. Levy is a grounded East London man and he is a great businessman. But concerning the price Daniel….GET THIS DEAL DONE.
I think soldado or damiao or yilmaz would be essential. Really we need two strikers. Lopez would be a good back up option.. I would love it if we got soldado and damiao. If we did I think spurs would have to be considered as title challengers.
We must get Edin Dzeko, Matej Vydra, and Toby Alderweireld!!!
And we will win all Tournements!!
Surely Leandro Damiao would be the best value for around £22m. He is younger than Soldado, taller, better in the air and eager to do well in order to make the Brasil world cup team. This guy would set WHL alight – rainbow flicks and all… sign him now. Tonight!