Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged the club to sign another striker ahead of their hectic schedule next season.
The Lowdown: ‘Critical zone’
As per Sam Dean of The Telegraph, star striker Harry Kane spent over half of the 2021/22 season playing in the ‘critical zone’, which is said to be dangerous for a player’s health and career longevity. A player is considered to be in the ‘critical zone’ when they have made two appearances, lasting at least 45 minutes, within five days of one another.
With Tottenham having secured qualification for next season’s Champions League, worries have arisen regarding a number of Spurs players' health.
The Latest: Robinson’s claim
Robinson, who works as a pundit for Sky Sports, has spoken about his worries for Kane, asserting that Tottenham need to sign another striker so that the England international can be rotated when he needs to rest.
Speaking with Football Insider, the 42-year-old claimed: “I’ve been saying this for so many windows, they need to sign a solid back-up option. Son [Heung-min] does a great job when he plays there but then you miss him on the left.
“Antonio Conte’s style is so rigid. It doesn’t change. Now more than ever there is a call for a Harry Kane number two if you like.
“This conversation has been had so many times. The problem is, it’s hard sell. How do you tell a top striker that he can play when Harry Kane doesn’t. Tottenham need to find a versatile player who can play wide as well as nine.
“The amount of football Spurs have next season, plus the World Cup, they need someone. Harry Kane cannot physically play all of those games.
“The manager has to have another option. It is glaringly obvious that they need somebody in that area.”
[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/" title="Tottenham latest developments!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]
The Verdict: Need a back-up
Kane started 36 of this season’s 38 Premier League games for Tottenham, totalling 49 appearances for his club across all competitions. This came after a 49-match campaign in 2020/21, while since the start of Euro 2020 this time last year, he has also played in 19 matches for England.
With Tottenham now preparing for the Champions League next term, Antonio Conte will surely want his star striker to be fit and healthy for both domestic and European duties.
This means that Kane will be expected to be at full fitness for a large chunk of the season. Therefore, it is imperative that Spurs bring in a backup option for matches where the striker can be rotated.
Whilst it may be hard to secure a top-class player with the promise of limited game-time, the lure of the Champions League could certainly help Fabio Paratici’s cause in transfer negotiations this summer.
In other news: Media blown away by ‘massive’ transfer news