Tottenham targets Ligue 1 striker Kalimuendo to strengthen attacking lineup

Tottenham Hotspur has once again set out to gather promising players. This time, the target is 'third in Ligue 1 scoring' Arnaud Kalimuendo (23, Stade Rennais).

French media 'L'Equipe' reported on the 16th (Korean time) that "Tottenham has initiated negotiations to acquire Kalimuendo. They are showing interest in Kalimuendo and are expected to enter negotiations with Rennes."

The media reported, "Although Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United have also made preliminary negotiations, they have yet to show any concrete moves. On the other hand, Tottenham has decided to intensify efforts to acquire Kalimuendo, whose contract runs until June 2027, over the last few hours."

There have not yet been any official contacts. L'Equipe added, "Tottenham is expected to contact Rennes to begin negotiations. However, they have not yet sent an official offer. We will need to see more to find out what conditions Rennes will demand for Kalimuendo, who scored 18 goals in 34 matches across all competitions last season."

Kalimuendo is a French striker from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He gained attention growing up in the PSG youth team, but went on loan to Lens in 2020 without receiving opportunities on the first team stage. His performance in the 2020-2021 season was above expectations with 8 goals and 6 assists in 30 matches, especially considering his age of just 18 years.

Showing potential, Kalimuendo was re-loaned to Lens in the 2021-2022 season, scoring 12 goals in the league and achieving double-digit goals. However, it remained difficult to secure a spot at PSG, full of star players, and in the summer of 2022, he transferred permanently to Rennes for a fee of 20 million euros (about 31.5 billion won) with a contract period of 5 years.

Kalimuendo has also shown solid performance at Rennes. He recorded 7 goals and 3 assists in his first season and was responsible for 15 goals and 2 assists in the following season. He had established himself as a regular starter in a mid-to-upper-tier Ligue 1 club.

In particular, his scoring ability exploded last season. Kalimuendo scored 17 goals and provided 3 assists in 33 league matches during the 2024-2025 season, placing him third in scoring. With a height of 178 cm, he may not have an advantage in aerial duels, but he effectively finished scoring opportunities thanks to his speed and excellent athletic ability.

With his standout performance, Kalimuendo has caught the eye of Tottenham, which is looking to bolster its attacking line. There are discussions regarding the potential departures of forwards such as Son Heung-min and Richarlison this season. If they acquire Kalimuendo, he is expected to compete with or sync up with Dominic Solanke.

However, it remains uncertain whether Kalimuendo is the right player to match Tottenham's ambitions of challenging for another title. Tottenham successfully returned to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) stage after winning the UEFA Europa League (UEL) last season. Additionally, they are dreaming of a new era after firing head coach Ange Postecoglou and bringing in Thomas Frank.

Tottenham is currently connected with proven Premier League forwards such as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa (both Brentford), and Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth). Although Kalimuendo has scored many goals, it is true that his impact in matches is not as significant as these players.

As a result, there are concerns that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy might be attempting to 'scratch the lottery' once again by bringing in another young player. Tottenham has a history of collecting various promising players such as Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, and Bryan Gil. However, if they want to compete for trophies and the upper tier of the Premier League next season, they will need to add a forward with skills rather than mere potential to their squad.

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