How Spurs can sign Junior Kroupi “the next Kylian Mbappe”

Apart from Mateus Fernandes, it has been a summer about Tottenham Hotspur's experience up front in the trade, with all other arrivals aged 26 or over.

Back at Brighton and Hove Albion, the main reason for Roberto De Zerbi's exit was his frustration with the club's recruitment policy, with the Seagulls aiming to push youngsters rather than proven players into their first division.

However, in this new era of Daniel Levy in north London, the Italian got his wish, with the arrival of Sandro Tonali, in particular, who stood out as a deal that would not have been completed in previous years.

De Zerbi assembles a team that can challenge again at the bottom of the table, although the only concern will be that this pursuit of short-term gain may lead to long-term pain.

Why Spurs youngsters may fear the worst under De Zerbi

Amid reports that the Lilywhites want to sign 20-year-old Bournemouth star Eli Junior Kroupi, it is not as if Spurs are completely abandoning their previous policy of acquiring high-powered, long-term signings.

Of course, the biggest frustration for a long time was Levy's obsession with moving on to the next big thing, rather than splashing the cash on a player who could have an immediate impact.

The balance, in that sense, has been adjusted, although De Zerbi needs to be careful not to touch the scale too much, at the risk of wasting a lot of exciting talents in N17.

Pursuit of Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke Jan Paul van Hecke has seen 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic on the move, while Sweden star Lucas Bergvall appears to be keen on a move away from Nottingham Forest.

As for Archie Gray, the arrival of Tonali and Fernandes has also thrown his future into doubt, with the 20-year-old believed to have been the subject of an offer from Newcastle United.

From the days of Mauricio Pochettino, when the Argentine oversaw the development of the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Heung-min Son, that sense of youth at Spurs could be lost in De Zerbi's new regime.

A sprinkling of young signings, such as Kroupi's, could go some way to helping things pan out.

Spurs battle rivals to sign 'next Kylian Mbappe'

In De Zerbi's defence, Spurs are expected to swoop in for the £90m-rated Kroupi this summer, with the Frenchman having recently broken the record for most goals scored by a youngster in their first Premier League season (13).

The clinical striker recently signed for Ligue 2 side Lorient back in 2025, appearing to enjoy a good start to English football on the south coast.

Hopefully, it could be a similar story if Spurs want to secure their acquisition from France, with FootMercato reporting that they are among a number of clubs interested in Paris Saint-Germain youngster Ibrahim Mbaye.

The suggestion is that the Lilywhites, along with the likes of Manchester City, Aston Villa, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, are all 'keeping a close eye' on the 18-year-old, amid his uncertain future at the Parc des Princes.

The Senegalese player wants to leave the Ligue 1 giants this summer, and the Champions League holders are still open for sale, with only two years left on the contract of the winner.

Like Kroupi, Mbaye looks like another young man who could explode in the Premier League, hailed by GOAL as perhaps “the next Kylian Mbappe”.

Such is the array of attacking talent in front of him in Paris, Mbappe's imitation currently seems unlikely, although that doesn't mean he isn't someone to be admired.

Indeed, in only 15 matches at the international level, Mbaye has scored four goals, especially scoring when Senegal defeated France's Mbappe in the group stage of the World Cup.

This incredible effort showed what kind of person he is, as the in-demand wonderkid also scored three goals in Ligue 1 last term, despite starting just ten games.

He only missed four 'big chances', just one more than Kroupi had last season for the Cherries, which shows that he is not too disruptive in front of goal.

Maybe Mbaye just needs a change of scenery and a chance to grow under a coach like De Zerbi.

It is encouraging that the eighth player most similar to him last term was Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, according to Scout Lab, the Japanese midfielder who flourished under the Italian at the Amex.

What stands out about Mbaye's game is his ability to play the ball, as he was ranked in the top 4% of young players who played 90 games last term, although he was also ranked in the top 17% of all players with 90 passes.

For Kroupi, he is another direct, forward-thinking striker with a similar fearless quality to his game, the former Lorient star ranked in the top 19% of strikers for continuous passes, and in the top 7% for passing the ball.

After a season of so much misery in Tottenham's forward line, both Mbaye and Kroupi will provide a much-needed injection of youth and energy, that ability to create something out of nothing.

De Zerbi may want experience and stability in the midfield and the defensive unit, but perhaps he can take a gamble on a potential future star in the forward line.