Tottenham appear set to sign Dominic Solanke for a club-record fee after agreeing a deal with Bournemouth.
However, it seems as though the 26-year-old will miss out on his dream shirt number once his move to north London is confirmed.
Tottenham have been pursuing a striker this summer to replace Harry Kane, who left for German giants Bayern Munich 12 months ago.
Ange Postecoglou feels Solanke is the right fit, with the striker scoring a brilliant 19 goals in the Premier League for Bournemouth last season.
Dominic Solanke is set to join Tottenham from Bournemouth in a huge transfer deal
PA
According to The Athletic, Tottenham are poised to recruit Solanke for a club-record fee.
He has worn the No 9 for Bournemouth ever since the 2019/2020 season, having initially worn the No 29 before that.
Unfortunately for Solanke, however, that shirt number is already taken by Richarlsion – meaning he won’t be able to claim it in the capital.
Richarlison has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, having blown hot and cold for Tottenham ever since his arrival from Everton two years ago.
Yet the Brazil international, speaking on Thursday, made it clear he wasn’t interested in jumping ship.
“There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian Seleção and in the Premier League speaks louder,” he told ESPN Brasil.
“The money is big but my dreams are bigger.”
While the exact fee for Solanke isn’t currently known, he will become the most expensive signing in Tottenham’s entire history.
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Tanguy Ndombele is currently Spurs’ record recruit, having cost the club a huge £63million upon joining in 2019.
Hopes had been high that he’d be able to elevate the club to new heights, having previously impressed for Lyon.
But Ndombele never really got going at Tottenham and left on a free transfer earlier this summer after loan spells with Lyon, Napoli and Galatasaray.
Tottenham paid a massive £60m to recruit Richarlison two years ago.
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Dominic Solanke is set to miss out on the Tottenham No 9 shirt due to Richarlison’s reluctance to leave the club
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And Brennan Johnson sits third when it comes to the club’s most-expensive signings, with the Wales international costing £47.5m following his arrival from Nottingham Forest last year.
Speaking recently, meanwhile, Tottenham boss Postecoglou admitted it was ‘important’ to get the right forward in.
“What’s important is the type of striker we get,” he said during the club’s pre-season tour of Japan.
“You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it’s going be a striker that fits that mould.
Dominic Solanke is set to join Tottenham as a replacement for Harry Kane
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“It’s still the area of the park we’re really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously that’s a focus for us.”
Tottenham meet Bayern Munich in a pre-season friendly on Saturday (5.30pm).
They will then open their Premier League campaign with a match against Leicester at the King Power Stadium on August 19.