Tottenham turn to powerhouse €40m Bundesliga striker to give De Zerbi a new Plan A
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly lining up a move for a highly-rated Bundesliga striker to give Roberto De Zerbi a different dimension to his forward line in the January transfer window.
The big-spending north London outfit have made a woeful start to the new campaign, failing to win or score in their opening four Premier League games, leaving them sitting 17th in the table.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Everton made it back-to-back draws for Tottenham, who spent over £300million on De Zerbi’s side after only escaping relegation to the Championship on the final day of last season.
While much of the club’s transfer business came on revamping the defence and midfield, it was only very late in the window that Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk were added to bring in some quality in the final third.
After four games, it’s very clear that the forward line is not clicking, while Chelsea loanee Mudryk is already out for a number of weeks after suffering an ankle injury in training.
Add in the fact that Richarlison has also been left out of the Premier League squad and it’s clear that adding another No.9 will be the main focus of attention come January, if the goalscoring issues persist.
To that end, a fresh report from Germany claims that Spurs are ready to step up their interest in SC Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic, who was on their radar towards the end of the summer window.
Matanovic has emerged as one of the most impressive attacking players in Germany this season, registering six goals and two assists in only six appearances.
And a report from German outlet FussballNews claims that his performances have ‘attracted growing attention from England’, with both Tottenham and Manchester United ‘monitoring the 23-year-old’s physical profile and ability to lead the line’.
The 6ft 4in forward joined Freiburg from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2025 for a bargain €7m and has since established himself as a real force in Germany and was in Croatia’s World Cup squad.
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Matanovic offers a different profile to De Zerbi’s current striking options and would offer a more physical box presence for the Italian, compared to Dominic Solanke and the pacy Marmoush.
However, Tottenham are facing the prospect of a battle with Man Utd for the player’s signature, with FussballNews claiming that Old Trafford scouts view him as a player capable of competing with Benjamin Sesko for the No.9 spot.
While the arrival of Marmoush has strengthened Spurs’ attacking options, and Solanke has at least started the season on the pitch rather than the sidelines, Matanovic would offer De Zerbi a different threat in the forward line.
In terms of how much the Croatian could cost in the winter window, Freiburg are currently in no rush to sell and would reportedly demand in the region of €35-40m (£30-34m), if they were to consider cashing in on a player whose current market value is €22m (£19m).
It’s also reported that, at this stage, there have been no formal offers made and that Tottenham scouts will continue to monitor Matanovic’s progress throughout the first half of the season.
Meanwhile, a fresh report Portugal claims that Spurs have also entered the race to snap up another attacker who is also on the radar of Premier League rivals Sunderland.
