Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has been on the lookout for a back-up to star striker Harry Kane this summer. He now seems to have found the man for the job, as Tottenham are closing in on the signing of the 22-year-old Dutch striker Vincent Janssen.
The AZ Alkmaar striker first came into the public eye after his imperious performance against the England national team in a friendly back in March. His goal and assist helped Netherlands hand a shock defeat to the then on-form England team. The 22-year-old Dutchman was subsequently linked with a number of clubs including PSG, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Tottenham have emerged as the favourites to sign the player in recent weeks though, with Janssen even rejecting West Ham United in order to secure a move to North London. Now Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf are reporting that Alkmaar director Max Huiberts has put a €22 million price on Janssen and Spurs are ready to go ahead and meet those demands. [Via: Football Oranje]
The report goes on to state that Janssen will undergo a medical on Friday, and will be officially announced as a Tottenham Hotspur player on Monday.
The young Dutchman has been prolific for AZ Alkmaar, as they finished in fourth-place in the Eredivise last season. The striker scored 29 goals and registered four assists in 43 appearances for the club in all competitions and his domestic form earned him an international call-up.
He rose to the occasion and notched up three goals in five games for the Netherlands national team, including the eye-catching performance against England. The Dutchman is a pure central striker and a clinical finisher, ending 2015/16 as the top scorer in the Eredivisie.
However he will not be a first team regular for Tottenham in the current situation. Harry Kane has been equally prolific for Spurs in the Premier League, ending the season as the league’s top scorer as well. The Englishman is undropable for Pochettino and Spurs, so Janssen will be playing a back-up role to Kane.
This may prove beneficial to the Dutchman though, as a slow start to the transition from the Eriedivisie to the very physically demanding Premier League could help him adjust better. The failings of fellow Dutch attacker Memphis Depay at Manchester United has highlighted the difference between the two national leagues, and Janssen would do well not to follow in the former PSV winger’s footsteps.
