Why Tottenham should put their efforts into signing Paulinho
It almost feels like Tottenham’s search for a backup striker will never bear fruit. They have scavenged through Europe to find an able partner for Harry Kane. But so far, they have had no luck.
Countless names have been touted to make the move such as Patson Daka, Alexander Sorloth, Danny Ings, etc. yet Spurs look far from securing the services of any. (h/t Football.london).
A report from 90min.com (h/t Football.london) is now suggesting that Spurs have shown interest in SC Braga forward Paulinho.
Profile
Paulinho is a 27-year-old Portuguese forward who plays for SC Braga. He started his youth career at Santa Maria in 2001. After 9 years in the youth setup, he broke into the first team.
In 2012, he moved to Trofense and had a decent spell there, making 38 appearances and scoring 11 goals. A year later, he joined Gil Vicente, where he enjoyed a decent enough spell.
It was only after he moved to SC Braga that his full potential was on display. In 129 games so far for the Portuguese outfit, he has scored 53 goals and assisted a further 20 (h/t Transfermarkt). He is yet to make an appearance for Portugal and has just one game for the U-21 side.
Should Spurs sign Paulinho?
As things stand, Tottenham have just one natural striker in their midst. Having allowed Troy Parrott to leave on loan, manager Jose Mourinho is left with England captain Harry Kane as his only striking option. And going through an entire campaign with just one striker would be a recipe for disaster.
Spurs don’t need a striker to replace Kane. They need one to partner him on certain occasions or play instead of him when he’s being rested or is injured. Not a lot of top-level strikers would agree to this sort of arrangement.
Paulinho does fit the bill of a player who can play sporadically and come off the bench to chip in with a goal. He enjoyed a prolific 2019/20 campaign with Braga, scoring 25 goals in 48 matches, and would further bolster the club’s attack.
Read More
- Why Tottenham should make a move for Willian Jose
- Opinion: Alexander Sorloth to Tottenham would bolster their attack
- Why Tottenham should push hard for Andrea Belotti to improve their attack
Verdict
Given the lack of any sort of proper cover for star striker Harry Kane, a new centre-forward is a must for Tottenham in the current transfer window. And while Paulinho might not be the most well-known names around, he has performed well for Braga and can be a handy addition for Tottenham this summer.
Thus, the Lilywhites should move for the Portuguese forward before the window closes.
