Alderweireld Challenges Spurs to Sign Osimhen from Arsenal

Toby Alderweireld has thrown down a challenge to his former club: if Tottenham are serious about climbing back towards the top, they should go and steal Victor Osimhen from under Arsenal’s nose.

The ex-Spurs defender believes the Galatasaray striker is exactly the kind of ruthless finisher Roberto De Zerbi’s new-look side still lack, even after a summer of heavy spending.

Tottenham only just escaped a grim relegation scrap last season. They responded by tearing up the script and investing aggressively. The club smashed their transfer record twice, landing Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali for a combined £185 million. Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka have also arrived to stiffen the spine.

Yet for all that outlay, one gap still glares.

They need a No 9.

Spurs have been linked with wide forwards such as Savinho, Cody Gakpo and Pedro Neto, but Alderweireld is adamant: this window has to end with a proper centre forward walking through the door.

“Spurs could use a striker like Victor Osimhen, they need his goals because it’s what they lacked last season as well,” he told Hajper, cutting straight to the issue that nearly dragged his old club down.

The Belgian understands why some of England’s elite are hesitating. Osimhen is no longer a raw project; he is in his prime years.

“The only concern for clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United is maybe his age. He’s not the youngest player anymore and it seems like everyone wants to find a 23-year-old superstar who can bang in goals for the next seven or eight years, and I understand that, but you also need a good mix.”

That “mix” is a theme he returns to. Alderweireld leans on his own journey, especially his time at Ajax, to make the point that big clubs cannot build solely on promise. They need players who have already been through title races, European nights, dressing-room storms.

“That’s why it can be important to sign proven players who know how things go so they can bring on the younger, potential superstars alongside them, because they can set the best example,” he explained.

Then came the example that defined his early career.

“I think about my time at Ajax. The mix was on another level. We had Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind and Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs de Ligt coming through. That’s what you need.”

For Tottenham, “what you need” now might be Osimhen – but getting him is another matter entirely.

The Nigeria international has drawn firm interest from Arsenal. Reports suggest Galatasaray recently sounded out the Gunners about possible deals involving Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, with Osimhen floated as part of the conversations. At this stage, though, there are no active negotiations.

Osimhen, for his part, is refusing to be dragged into the swirl.

“I’ll focus on my job,” he said last week when asked about the rumours. “We’ll see and think about what comes next then.”

Tottenham have rebuilt almost every line of their team. The window is ticking down. The question now is whether they are prepared to test Arsenal’s resolve and Alderweireld’s conviction by going all in for the striker who could define De Zerbi’s first season.