Tottenham's Decision on Victor Osimhen Amid De Zerbi's Vision
Tottenham Hotspur have been offered Victor Osimhen this summer – and with it, the chance to fast‑track Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuild with one of Europe’s most explosive centre-forwards.
Whether they take it is another story.
Osimhen’s camp has sounded out several Premier League clubs as the Nigerian pushes for a long‑anticipated move to England, and Spurs are firmly among those informed of his availability. The 25-year-old wants the Premier League stage. The question is whether Tottenham are prepared to reshape both their squad and wage structure to give it to him.
De Zerbi’s blueprint needs a finisher
De Zerbi has arrived in north London with a clear idea of what his Tottenham should look like: aggressive, front-foot, technically sharp – and led by a ruthless No.9.
A striker of Osimhen’s profile fits that vision almost perfectly. Powerful, relentless in his running, and proven as a prolific scorer at the highest level, he offers the kind of penalty-box presence and vertical threat that could transform Spurs’ attack and sharpen their push for a higher league finish.
For all Tottenham’s attractive build-up play, a guaranteed goalscorer remains the missing piece. De Zerbi knows it. The hierarchy knows it. The market, however, rarely gifts you a player of Osimhen’s calibre without a brutal trade-off.
One in, one out
Any serious move for Osimhen comes with a clear condition: someone has to go.
Tottenham would need to move on either Dominic Solanke or Richarlison to clear space in the squad and on the wage bill. It is not a simple football decision; it is a structural one.
Solanke, signed with high hopes, has shown glimpses of why Spurs backed him – intelligent movement, link play, the promise of goals – but injuries have repeatedly checked his momentum. Richarlison, by contrast, brings versatility and experience, able to operate across the front line and offer a different, more combative edge in attack.
Choosing between them is fraught. Move Solanke on and you cut loose a striker still entering his prime, one the club has barely seen at full tilt. Sacrifice Richarlison and you lose a proven Premier League operator and a flexible option in a squad that De Zerbi wants to keep tactically fluid.
Inside the dressing room, those decisions ripple. Balance, hierarchy, and harmony matter as much as raw numbers. Off the pitch, financial regulations sit in the background of every conversation. Tottenham cannot simply stockpile high-earning forwards and hope it works itself out.
The cost of a statement
Osimhen would be a statement signing in every sense. Not just footballing ambition, but financial muscle.
His current gross wage stands at €360,000 (£309,000) per week, dropping to €288,000 (£247,000) after a 20 per cent tax rate in Turkey. Even at those figures, he would already tower above Tottenham’s existing earners.
England is a different calculation entirely. With a 45 per cent tax rate on his wages, Spurs would need to offer a significantly higher gross salary just to match his current net income. To better it, the numbers climb even higher.
That is the crux of the dilemma. To land Osimhen, Tottenham would not only have to sanction a major outgoing in attack, they would also have to rip up their wage hierarchy for one player. Do they believe he is the striker worth bending the entire structure for?
The opportunity is on the table. The kind of centre-forward De Zerbi craves is within reach. Now Tottenham must decide how far they are willing to go – and who they are willing to sacrifice – to bring him to north London.
