Dejan Kulusevski is Tottenham's last No. 9 experiment before the winter transfer window

Tottenham Hotspur are quickly realizing they are out of options at the striker position. Richarlison was cast out of the squad after his spat with Roberto De Zerbi at the end of the summer transfer window, and while there was initially some sympathy for the Brazilian international, there is nobody pining for the mediocre forward whose best years are well past him after his bizarre summer antics.

But the problem, of course, is as underwhelming of a player as Richy is, he was the team's leading striker and goal scorer last season. De Zerbi hoped that his belief in Dominic Solanke would pan out, but after another disastrous outing in spite of the excellence of literally the entire team in their dominant 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, it is obvious that he is too weak of a link to start.

So Tottenham are down to only one center forward option right now in Omar Marmoush, who ceded the No. 9 position to Solanke and started as the 10 against Palace with James Maddison not quite ready to start after an injury scare the preceding week against Chelsea.

Dejan Kulusevski is an alternative as a false 9

Marmoush figures to draw the start against Leeds United next weekend in the Premier League, but the leash is short for a player who has never really fit the profile of an out and out No. 9. And Tottenham Hotspur, right now, do not have an out and out 9, so they are going to have to use other options like Marmoush there.

Another candidate that will get his chance should Omar Marmosuh fail is Dejan Kulusevski. The Swedish international returned to Tottenham a couple of weeks ago against Coventry and looked way sharper than anyone expected, and he again impressed off the bench vs. Crystal Palace, testing Dean Henderson with a smart shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

In that moment, Kuluseveski showed shooting, instincts, deciveness, and an ability to work his own shot that were superior to that of Dominic Solanke, and for Tottenham fans, Kulu is a better option at the striker position than the former Bournemouth man.

The idea of Kulusevski as a false nine is going to gain popularity if the others continue to fail, and with no other alternatives until a potential push for Eli Junior Kroupi or another big name in the winter 2026 transfer window, Kulu at the 9 may be the last stroke left for Roberto De Zerbi to get more goals out of an otherwise incredibly dominant outfit.