Tottenham transfer rumours: Should Mauricio Pochettino go all out to sign Alexandre Lacazette? Lyon striker analysed
If the 1-1 draw with West Brom highlighted any weakness in the Tottenham squad, it was the need for another striker to help ease the burden on Harry Kane.
The England international failed to have the desired effect against the Baggies, forcing stand-in goalkeeper Boaz Myhill into action just once during the 90 minutes.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side lacked the required panache to close the gap between themselves and table-toppers Leicester to five points. Instead, the Foxes are now one win away from Premier League glory.
It is harsh to say that Spurs bottled winning the league with the stalemate at White Hart Lane on Monday night, but the draw brought to attention the need for reinforcements this summer.
Indeed, Pochettino’s side have been strongly linked with a move for a number of players at the end of the season, particularly in attack. Kane needs competition for a starting spot, to both help improve him as a player and provide sufficient cover should he be sidelined for any given reason.
Alexandre Lacazette is the latest in a long line of frontmen to be mooted with a potential switch to Spurs, with 18 league goals this season helping the Frenchman gain a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘finishing’.
Spurs would most likely face a battle to sign Lacazette, but the striker has proven once more that he is worth the chase.
It is possible, though, that the Premier League side will have to act quickly to secure his services with Euro 2016 looming. Karim Benzema will miss the summer tournament, presenting Lacazette with the chance to secure a starting spot for the French national team.
An impressive showing at the European Championship would see his price tag rise significantly and Lyon would be loathe to losing Lacazette at the end of the season, with his WhoScored.com rating (7.33) better than any other player for Les Gones.
Of course, a strong showing this summer means Lyon could command a top fee for the 24-year-old but with Spurs in the market for a striker, Pochettino’s side could be willing to pay the price to boost the attack.
They would be getting a man suited to playing the role as the lone striker, which is a boost to Pochettino who favours a 4-2-3-1 formation. Given Lyon have largely utilised a 4-3-3 formation this season, Lacazette is certainly capable of playing in a similar system deployed by the Argentinian. An average of 1.1 tackles per game - a modest return for a lone striker - also suggests he can carry out the high pressing demands set by the Spurs boss.
His goal-getting ability will also appeal to Pochettino.
Of the 18 league goals scored this season, 15 have been deemed clear-cut goalscoring opportunities - only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (22) has netted more of these chances in Ligue 1.
Spurs may have scored the second-most goals (65) in the Premier League this season, but they need cover for Kane on the frontline, of that there is no doubt.
If reports are to be believed, Spurs’ striking options are boiling down to Lacazette and fellow Ligue 1 frontman Michy Batshuayi, with both attracting Premier League interest.
Should they firm up their interest in the former, however, they will be acquiring a frontman more than capable of firing the club to the next level.