Tottenham's Dilemma: Solanke or Richarlison for Osimhen
Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a rare opening to move for Victor Osimhen this summer – but the path to the Nigerian striker runs straight through the futures of Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.
According to TEAMtalk, Spurs have been offered the chance to sign the Super Eagles forward as they push to finally land a proven, peak-age No 9 before the new season. The opportunity is there. The decision is not.
Club figures are yet to commit to a formal bid for the 27-year-old, aware that any move would stretch their finances and force a reshuffle of Ange Postecoglou’s attacking options. This is not a deal that can simply be added on top of what they already have.
A marquee striker with a marquee bill
Osimhen’s numbers speak loudly. Since swapping Napoli for Galatasaray in 2024, initially on loan before making the switch permanent, he has kept his place among Europe’s most reliable goalscorers.
Last season in the Turkish Super Lig, the Nigeria international hit 15 goals and supplied five assists, despite starting only 19 league games. That kind of efficiency keeps elite clubs circling. It also drives up the cost.
For Tottenham, the challenge is twofold. The transfer fee would be substantial, but the wage packet is just as significant. Osimhen’s reported salary of €288,000 per week after tax would make him the highest earner at the club, ripping up the current pay structure and forcing a hard look at who stays and who goes.
That is where Solanke and Richarlison come into sharp focus.
One in, one out
Spurs are understood to need at least one major attacking departure to clear both squad space and room on the wage bill. The message is simple: Osimhen cannot arrive while both Solanke and Richarlison remain on the books.
Solanke, only recently added and still settling into life in north London, and Richarlison, whose Spurs career has lurched between explosive spells and injury interruptions, now sit at the heart of the club’s summer equation. Offload one, and the Osimhen pursuit becomes realistic. Keep both, and the Nigerian stays out of reach.
The internal debate is clear. Do Tottenham double down on their current options, or do they rip up the plan and go all-in on a striker who has already proved he can carry an attack?
Premier League dream meets Spurs’ dilemma
What gives Spurs a genuine chance is Osimhen’s long-standing ambition. Reports indicate he remains keen to test himself in the Premier League during the peak of his career. That desire tilts the scales slightly towards north London, should they step forward.
For now, though, everything is conditional. Tottenham must trim before they can build. Any concrete move for the Super Eagles star hinges on exits, on difficult conversations with established forwards, and on the club’s willingness to break its wage ceiling for a headline signing.
The door to Victor Osimhen is open. The question is whether Spurs are prepared to walk through it at the cost of Solanke or Richarlison.
