Spurs’ £87m ‘priority’ target could become their own Robin Van Persie

It’s been a real up-and-down Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

They started with a miraculous ten-game unbeaten streak but then lost four on the bounce in the last month or so.

Ange Postecoglou hasn’t got everything right in his first year in England, but there are certainly signs that he could lead the Lilywhites to glory if given the proper backing, and based on recent reports, that might happen, as the club have been linked to a star who could be their very own Robin van Persie.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are ‘pressing ahead’ in their pursuit of Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report has revealed that the North Londoners have been sending scouts to watch the Mexican international play throughout the season, and as things stand, Postecoglou has ‘pinpointed the Feyenoord star as a priority.’

The bad news for the Lilywhites is that they are likely to face stiff competition for the marksman’s signature, as previous reports have linked fierce rivals Arsenal to the 23-year-old, and if they do get ahead of the Gunners, they’ll have to stump up around £87m to get the deal done.

It would certainly represent a massive investment from Daniel Levy and Co, but with Richarlison still underwhelming in White with just 15 goals to his name in 66 Spurs appearances, it would be one worth making, especially with the parallels to Van Persie.

How Gimenez could be Spurs own Robin van Persie

Now, comparing a player yet to test himself in Europe’s top five leagues to a striker who scored for fun in England and won the Premier League to boot is undoubtedly a lot, but there are some similarities.

For example, both forwards have found their feet in European football with Feyenoord. In the 76 appearances the Dutchman made in his initial spell with the Rotterdam side, he scored 21 goals and provided ten assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.4 games.

In comparison, Gimenez has an even better record with the Eredivisie side, scoring 49 goals and providing 11 assists in 86 games so far, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.4 games.

The next significant similarity is their deadly left feet. In the last two seasons, the Mexican “nightmare,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig vividly described him, has scored 22 of his 38 league goals with his left, nine with his right, and seven with his head, showing that while he’s not entirely one-footed, he does heavily favour his left.

Similarly, while the former Arsenal forward could use his right, he would more often than not go with his left and, as things stand, he has scored the third most left-footed Premier League goals in history at 94, behind only Mo Salah and Robbie Fowler.

Lastly, if the Lilywhites were to get their man, then he would be following in the footsteps of the 102-capped Dutchman by moving to north London, and based on his impressive goal tally over the last two years, it looks likely that he would also become a goal machine in England.

Ultimately, Gimenez might not quite reach the level of Van Persie, but there are apparent similarities, and if he can even replicate a fraction of his output, then Postecoglou will have a very useful striker on his hands next season.