Tottenham Hotspur is eyeing a promising French player instead of another proven big striker. The player they have marked this time is Arnaud Kalimuendo (22, Stade Rennais). It is already known that new head coach Thomas Frank has also agreed.

British 'Give Me Sport' reported on the 21st (Korea time) that "Tottenham is pushing to acquire 'real killer' Kalimuendo for £35 million (about 64.7 billion won). Frank has also shown a green light."

Kalimuendo is a French striker who came from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He showed promise from a young age in PSG's youth team but was loaned to Lens in 2020 without getting a chance on the first team. His performance in the 2020-2021 season was above expectations, scoring 8 goals and providing 6 assists in 30 matches at the age of 18.

Kalimuendo, who showed promise, was loaned back to Lens for the 2021-2022 season and scored 12 league goals, achieving a double-digit tally. However, it was still difficult to secure a spot at PSG, which has many star players, and he made a permanent move to Rennes in the summer of 2022, with a transfer fee of €20 million (about 31.5 billion won) and a contract lasting 5 years.

Kalimuendo also performed well at Rennes. In his first season, he recorded 7 goals and 3 assists in 37 matches, and in the following season, he was responsible for 15 goals and 2 assists in 41 matches. He established himself as a regular starter at a mid-to-upper table Ligue 1 club.

In particular, Kalimuendo's goal-scoring ability flourished last season. He scored 17 goals and provided 3 assists in 33 league matches for the 2024-2025 season, ranking third in scoring. Although he is 178 cm tall and does not have an advantage in aerial duels, he made good use of his quick speed and excellent athletic ability to finish scoring opportunities.

After making a name for himself in France, Kalimuendo has caught the radar of the Tottenham board, looking to strengthen their attacking lineup. There are possibilities that Tottenham might part ways with front-line attackers such as Heung-min Son and Richarlison this season. If they acquire Kalimuendo, it is expected that he will either compete or collaborate with Dominic Solanke.

According to ESPN, Coach Frank has also approved the potential acquisition of Kalimuendo. The media described him as a 'real killer' and noted that he prefers a transfer to the Premier League. Tottenham will participate in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) next season, so if they can meet the asking price of £35 million, they should be able to find common ground.

Give Me Sport stated, "23-year-old Kalimuendo had a dazzling performance in the 2024-2025 season. He is expected to grow even more in the coming years," and added, "Of course, whether Tottenham will reach a final agreement with Kalimuendo remains uncertain. However, as he is a French youth national team player, he seems like a smart signing for Tottenham, which needs to improve a poor Premier League season."

Currently, it is not precisely known how much progress Tottenham has made in their attempt to acquire Kalimuendo. On the 16th, France's 'L'Equipe' reported that "Tottenham has started negotiations to acquire Kalimuendo. They have shown interest in him and are expected to enter negotiations with Rennes," but noted, "However, they have not yet made an official offer."

Kalimuendo is attracting interest not only from Tottenham but also from Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United. Because of this, Tottenham has decided to accelerate their acquisition attempts. Having won the UEFA Europa League last season, but finishing 17th in the Premier League, there is an urgent need to restructure their offensive lineup, and they are looking for resources suitable for Coach Frank's organic second-line tactics.

The problem is whether Kalimuendo is indeed the player that matches Tottenham's ambitions to challenge for the title again. Amid speculation about captain Son Heung-min's transfer to Saudi Arabia, Tottenham is being linked with proven Premier League strikers like Bryan Mbeumo and Yoan Wissa (both Brentford) and Antoine Simenyo (Bournemouth). It is true that Kalimuendo, who has less impact in matches, carries relatively less weight.

Natural concerns have arisen that Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham, may be trying to scratch off the so-called 'young player lottery' by bringing in another young player. Tottenham has a history of gathering promising players such as Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, and Bryan Gil in the past. However, given Son Heung-min's uncertain situation, it seems necessary to make 'big-name' acquisitions to successfully start a new era.

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), EuroFootyros, Tottenham, Ligue 1, Stade Rennais, SVMM.

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