TOTTENHAM’S attempts to recruit an able deputy for Harry Kane in recent seasons have been underwhelming to say the least.
Last season, Spurs brought in Vincent Janssen from PSV to act as back-up to the England superstar, but the Dutchman managed just two Premier League goals.
And Fernando Llorente, signed from Swansea on the last day of the 2017 summer transfer window, only has one top-flight strike to his name this term.
So it appears Mauricio Pochettino will once again be in the market for a new striker this summer, with Atalanta teenager Musa Barrow the latest player linked.
Our friends at Football Whispers have profiled the Serie A hotshot and Spurs transfer target.
Who is Musa Barrow?
Still only 19, Atalanta plucked Barrow from obscurity in the summer of 2016, bringing the youngster to Italy from his native Gambia to join La Dea’s youth ranks.
Barrow impressed immediately, bagging a brace from midfield in his first outing in the Bergamo club’s colours.
He would go on to net an incredible 19 goals in just 14 appearances for Atalanta’s youth team.
Comfortable on the left wing, Barrow is most at home as a central striker from where he can put his lethal combination of pace, power, skill and finishing to use to score consistently.
A first-team debut came in a 1-0 Coppa Italia loss to champions Juventus in January this year, and he has since become a firm favourite at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia.
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Wearing the No99 shirt, the striker made his first Serie A appearance as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Crotone on February 10.
His first start for the first time soon followed, in a 0-0 draw with Inter Milan, in April.
Barrow’s first goal of the season came just three days later, in 3-0 win over lowly Benevento.
He has been directly involved in an Atalanta goal in every appearance since, registering an assist against Torino before back-to-back strikes against Genoa and Champions League-chasing Lazio.
With three goals and two assists to his name in just 356 minutes of Serie A action this term, Barrow has been involved in a goal every 71.2 minutes on average.
How much would Musa Barrow cost?
It is hard to estimate the transfer value of a player still so inexperienced, having only broken into Atalanta’s first team in recent weeks.
Due to his age, any price tag slapped on Barrow will have to take into account the possibility of future growth, with the Gambian youngster showing signs of top-class potential in his early outings in the Italian top flight.
Atalanta president Antonio Percassi is reportedly keen to hold onto Barrow for at least one more season.
The hope is that further impressive displays over the course of the 2018/19 campaign will see the club able to command around £30m for the teenage striker.
What is Musa Barrow’s most likely destination?
Although Tottenham are the latest major club linked with a move for Barrow, they are not the only side keeping tabs of the gifted African attacker.
Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund all reportedly interested.
With such a wealth of options, it seems Barrow is destined to represent one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
For now the most likely outcome is he continues his development with Atalanta before making a big-money switch elsewhere.
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