Spurs eye Nigerian striker Sadiq Umar seeing him as the perfect replacement for Harry Kane

ENGLISH Premier League side Tottenham Hotspurs are keeping a close eye on Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq with a view to signing him up as a replacement for England skipper Harry Kane in case he leaves the club soon.

Sadiq, 24, currently plays for Almeria in the Spanish Segunda Division but has had a cracking start to the campaign so far with his performances. Spanish La Liga side Sevilla were linked with a move for Sadiq in the summer but it did not materialise as the club could not afford Almeria’s asking price of €25m.

Following Umar's great start to the current season, Almeria are now demanding close to €30m, which is likely to be unattainable for any La Liga clubs, making Spurs a major contender in this transfer chase. Formerly of Roma, Sadiq joined Almeria last summer for a fee of just €5m and in his first season at the club, he scored 20 goals, even though it was not enough to secure promotion for his team.

This season, the striker has continued his good run of form, scoring six goals in just eight appearances in the Spanish Segunda. Spurs could be an appealing destination for the striker, whose height at 1.92m and goalscoring prowess makes him an ideal fit for the physical English Premier League.

Spurs are on the looking out for new strikers who can not only provide support for Harry Kane but also replace him next season. Kane is wanted by Manchester City and it is possible he could leave, so Sadiq is seen as the ideal replacement target man.

Nuno Espirito Santo, the Spurs coach, likes playing with a traditional number nine, using Raul Jimenez in that role during his days at Wolves. For a fee of just €30m, Sadiq could indeed prove to be a bargain and an excellent squad player who can either emerge as the main frontman or operate as a number two, should Tottenham land any high-profile striker next summer.