Why Tottenham should sign Arkadiusz Milik as back-up for Harry Kane
According to Sky Italia (h/t Football.London), Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik, who has been linked with a move to Tottenham, will be sold to the highest bidder this summer.
The 26-year-old is expected to seek an exit from Naples following the arrival of Victor Osimhen from Lille, but the club chief has warned that there will be no discount for any potential suitor. (Sky Italia h/t Football.London)
Profile
Born in Tychy, Poland, Arkadiusz Milik started his professional career Gornik Zabrze in his homeland before earning a move to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen back in 2013. However, he struggled to make a big impact and was loaned out to fellow German top-flight side Augsburg followed by a loan spell at Ajax, who signed him permanently in 2015.
An impressive track record of 47 goals in 75 games across all competitions for the Dutch giants paved the way for a switch to Napoli in the summer of 2016 and the Pole has gradually established himself as a force to reckon with in the Serie A.
The 26-year-old’s stocks are currently on the rise after he bagged 34 goals across all competitions for the Partenopei over the past couple of seasons. A full international for Poland since 2012, Milik boasts an impressive scoring record of 14 goals in 49 senior caps for his nation.
Tottenham’s current attacking scenario
Tottenham have one of the most prolific strikers on the planet in Harry Kane but the England international has clearly been overburdened with the workload of shouldering the club’s attacking responsibilities single-handedly over the last few years.
That has resulted in a series of injuries and Tottenham have found it really difficult to cope with Kane’s absence whenever their talisman has been forced to spend time on the treatment table.
It was the same old story for the Lilywhites this past season, with Jose Mourinho having to rely on the likes of Lucas Moura, Dele Alli and Heung-min Son to fill in the centre-forward void left by Kane’s injury.
Make no mistake, Lucas and Son did reasonably well when entrusted with the responsibility of spearheading the attack but it’s worth noting that both players are at their sparkling best when deployed out wide on the flanks. Alli, on the other hand, is more of a playmaker rather than a specialist penalty-box striker who can deliver goals week in, week out.
Why Milik could be the answer
Suffice to say, it’s high time for Tottenham to bring in a quality back-up for Kane and solve a nagging issue in front of goal that has continued to haunt them for a number of seasons now.
A track record of 47 goals in 75 appearances for Ajax followed by an impressive tally of 48 goals in 121 outings for Napoli suggests that the Pole has what it takes to shine in the competitive atmosphere of the Premier League.
Looking at the numbers, 9 out of Milik’s 38 career goals in the Serie A have come from outside the box, figures that suggest he’s a specialist penalty-box striker who also excels with his ability to score from distance.
Essentially a left-footed striker, Milik might not have the best weak foot ability in the world but he is very much capable of scoring goals with his head (9 out of his 38 Serie A goals have been headers while 26 out of the remaining 29 have come from his favoured left boot).
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Verdict
At 26, Arkadiusz Milik still has several years left in his prime and given that the Pole has only one year left on his current deal at Napoli, Tottenham should definitely fancy their chances of nabbing him at a reasonable price in the post-pandemic market.
