Spurs are reportedly challenging Newcastle United and Crystal Palace for Besiktas’ Turkish international striker Cenk Tosun.
AZ Alkmaar striker Vincent Janssen scored goals for fun to earn a big money move to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2016. In total, the Dutchman hit the net 31 times in all competitions during his debut season in the Eredivisie – though all but four came in the league.
As well all know, Dutch football is not the most accurate barometer of a striker’s talents and perhaps Janssen’s record in European football should have been a cause for concern. Janssen started all six group stage games in the 2015/16 Europa League and scored just once in games against Augsburg, Partizan Belgrade and Athletic Bilbao.
Consequently, while Spurs fans may be a little fearful that Cenk Tosun, like Janssen, has not proven himself in a major European league, at least the Besiktas striker has plenty of pedigree at the continent’s top table.
Not another Janssen
The Premier League trio certainly timed their trip well with Tosun scoring twice in a 2-2 draw. And though prolific form in the Turkish league doesn’t exactly guarantee success in a much more competitive league, the 26-year-old’s form in the Champions League should give Spurs hope that he is not another dud.
Tosun inspired a victory over Porto in September with a laser-like long-range finish before setting up a goal in the 2-0 win against RB Leipzig. Last season, the striker scored the UEFA Official Goal of the Group Stages with a sunning bicycle kick against Benfica before netting three in three Europa League starts after Besiktas finished third in their group.
Janssen never managed that.
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