Tottenham Hotspur need an alternative to Dominic Solanke after his underwhelming debut campaign in North London.
Spurs shelled out £65 million for Solanke, but his return of nine Premier League goals and the lack of a deputy forced the club back into the market for a centre-forward this summer.
According to reports from L’Equipe, Tottenham are preparing to open formal discussions with Rennes over a potential move for French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo.
The North Londoners have reportedly stepped up efforts to sign him in recent hours.
The 23-year-old forward has caught the attention of several European clubs following a standout 2024/25 campaign, in which he netted 18 goals across 34 appearances in all competitions.
He scored 15 times last term.
While Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United have previously held preliminary talks for the France Under-21 international, neither club has made a decisive move.
However, Spurs have accelerated their interest in recent hours and are now expected to initiate direct contact with Rennes to assess the feasibility of a deal.
Tottenham are yet to table an official bid. They want to understand how much Rennes will demand and their stance on the striker.
Kalimuendo is different from the archetypal centre-forward mould.
His speed and dribbling allow him to play on the flanks, but he comes alive in the final third. He will give Spurs a different type of attacking threat.
In our opinion, Tottenham should be pulling out all the stops to sign the versatile and lethal Kalimuendo.
He will likely come cheaper than Brentford duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, respectively priced at £70 million and £40 million.
Spurs need to be wise in the transfer market, and pursuing the younger player with a proven track record delivering in a top European league and massive upside looks like a better move.
(Stats from Sofascore)