Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be considering their options in the summer when it comes down to their attacking ranks.
Obviously, Harry Kane is their main talisman, however, when he has been out injured, goals from forwards have become somewhat a concern for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season.
Fernando Llorente has been preferred, however, he has far from covered himself in any glory with his performances, and with his contract set to expire in the summer, whether he has a future at the club remains to be seen.
Daniel Sturridge has been recently linked with a move to Spurs, (The Mirror, via HITC Sport), as he too will be a free agent in the summer, although questions must be asked about whether he would be willing to warm up the bench when Kane is doing his thing in the middle.
But, which striker would be the better option for Pochettino to call upon, should their star man have to face significant time on the sidelines once again?
Fernando Llorente
Llorente arrived at Tottenham in the summer of 2017 from Swansea City in a deal thought to be worth around £13.59million, per Transfermarkt.
Although he was originally brought in to act as cover for Kane, the Spaniard has rarely managed to get an opportunity to impress those in north London with his ability and repay that high transfer fee.
A player with the history of playing for the likes of Juventus and Athletic Bilbao, as well as a European Championship and World Cup winner with Spain, Llorente has the ability to score goals, although he is clearly a striker who thrives on confidence and playing regularly.
One problem with the 33-year-old’s game is that he can be too one-dimensional at times, and struggles to bring other players into the match as he lacks an ability to hold up play.
TT Grade: B-
Daniel Sturridge
There is no doubt Sturridge has struggled over the past few seasons with injuries, however, he has proven that he can score goals when given the chance.
The 29-year-old has found the back of the net 77 times in his 213 top-flight appearances so far and will likely add to those if he were given the opportunity.
The forward has been used as a substitute for much of Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge in the current campaign, but he has still come up with the goods at crucial points, including his last-minute equaliser against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in September.
However, there will be doubts over whether he can remain fit over the course of the season and if he would be happy to essentially warm the substitutes bench and wait until Kane is unavailable to play for Pochettino’s side.
TT Grade: B+
The Verdict:
It is clearly obvious that either man will be used as a back up to Kane, and as such, Sturridge would be the better option for Pochettino to have.
The 29-year-old is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and should their talisman have to miss portions of the campaign, he could step up and continue to fire in the goals for Spurs as they look to try and win silverware.
Llorente does not appear to be cut out for football in England’s top-flight any more, whilst Sturridge would bring some pace and potency to the Tottenham Hotspur squad, provided he manages to keep fit.
Tottenham fans – thoughts?
