Tottenham have stepped up their pursuit of Victor Osimhen, but the move sits inside a wider rebuild. The club finished 17th in the Premier League in 2025, on 41 points with a goal difference of -9, and has already spent over £230m this summer, with Goal describing the outlay as £237m. Roberto De Zerbi is still unsure whether Richarlison will stay.

Richarlison's uncertain status

De Zerbi did not hide his view of Richarlison as a player. Speaking to goal.com, he said: "I don't know because I like him as a player and as a guy. He's unbelievable in terms of attitude and behaviour. But, in the end, we have to respect what he wants to do. I didn't understand well because sometimes he says he wants to stay, sometimes he wants to leave."

That uncertainty is part of why a new centre-forward is being lined up. De Zerbi also said Richarlison scored 12 goals last season and praised his work rate, so this is not a case of a manager trying to move on from a bad player. It is a squad planning issue, with Tottenham looking at options before the window closes.

Osimhen's fee and scoring record

The financial side is still unsettled. Tottenham have made an initial approach worth up to £55m for Osimhen, while Galatasaray are looking for closer to £65m. Other reporting has put the figure differently, with one outlet citing €75 million, so the price is not fixed yet.

The reason Tottenham are pushing is obvious enough. BarcaUniversal says Osimhen scored 59 goals in 74 matches for Galatasaray and 76 in 133 for Napoli, and Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle called him the "best striker in the world". That is the profile of a forward Spurs would be right to chase after a season like theirs.

The next move depends on whether Tottenham can narrow the gap with Galatasaray, but the bigger picture is already clear. This is a club trying to correct a poor Premier League season with a major spend and a proven No 9, and Osimhen is now firmly in that conversation.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →