Roberto De Zerbi has teased that Tottenham are working on a 'bomba' attacking signing, with Spurs having already spent nearly £250million on upgrading their midfield and defence this summer. The Italian head coach's attention will now turn to the final third in the remaining month of the transfer window.

Spurs are confident of completing a move for long-term target Savinho from Manchester City, but the 'bomba' signing is understood to be a separate deal. De Zerbi slightly backtracked on his comments the next day by saying "bomba in Italian is different from bomba in English" but did add that he expects "two, maybe three" more arrivals.

A Squad Desperately Needing Firepower

Tottenham's squad desperately needs an injection of quality in the final third. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are both recovering from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, Dejan Kulusevski has not played in over a year due to a complicated issue with his patella, and Mohammed Kudus is working back to full fitness after a hamstring problem. Dominic Solanke struggled with ankle and muscle issues last season, while James Maddison went on the pre-season tour to New Zealand and Australia but did not play in any of the three games because of a "small problem" according to De Zerbi.

The 'bomba' signing could be a backup striker to Solanke, as Richarlison's future is uncertain. The Brazil international scored a stoppage-time winner against Chelsea on Saturday, but De Zerbi revealed afterwards that he "does not know" if the 29-year-old will stay because "sometimes he wants to leave." Richarlson only has a year left on his contract.

Cody Gakpo on the Radar

Tottenham have registered their interest with Cody Gakpo's representatives, but have yet to make contact with Liverpool or begin a formal negotiation. Liverpool have no intention of selling the Dutchman, but would judge his value relative to other deals this summer.

From an analytical perspective, Gakpo would add firepower to a Tottenham forward line that is technically gifted but lacks a killer instinct in front of goal. He was comfortably ahead of every Spurs player in touches in the opposition penalty area, chances created, and shots from open play last season. He strikes through the ball cleanly and generally scores more than the quality of his chances suggests he should. For De Zerbi, Gakpo offers a solution both on the wing and through the middle, should injuries plague Spurs' centre-forwards again.

Other Targets

Manchester City winger Savinho has been a Spurs target for more than a year, and the two clubs have maintained contact regarding the player. City would want to secure a replacement before considering a sale. Savinho would be a great addition because of his ability to play on either wing.

Tottenham have also expressed an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt's Jean-Matteo Bahoya and spoke with the French winger's representatives before the window began, though the player has never been seen as a primary target and is now attracting interest from Saudi Arabia. Rafael Leao of AC Milan is in a similar situation — there was contact between the club's recruiting department and the player's representatives before the World Cup, but nothing has materialised since, and the Portuguese forward is not currently considered an active target.

Departures and Uncertainty

Spurs have struggled in the final third ever since Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich three years ago, and Son Heung-min's output dropped off during his final two seasons in north London. Mathys Tel has shown a few moments of brilliance on the left wing, but De Zerbi needs somebody capable of delivering on a consistent basis.

De Zerbi said he plans to talk to Lucas Bergvall about the midfielder's future. The 20-year-old expressed a preference to move on after two years in north London, and Nottingham Forest and Newcastle's offers for the Sweden international have been rejected. However, De Zerbi said he understands Bergvall's best position now and "would like" him to stay. Bergvall faces significant competition in midfield, from £85million signing Mateus Fernandes, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Conor Gallagher, and new record signing Sandro Tonali.

Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario are expected to leave, which would be a drain of experience and leadership, but selling them would help finance any ambitious attacking signings. Randal Kolo Muani has already joined Juventus in a deal worth up to €50million after a disastrous loan spell that yielded just one goal in 30 league games. Tottenham and West Ham United are also in negotiations for the permanent transfer of Manor Solomon, who has appeared in just five Premier League games for Spurs since joining in 2023.