‘A surprise’: Sky pundit admits he didn’t see Tottenham now opening talks to sign PL player

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Stephen Warnock has admitted that he is surprised to see Tottenham Hotspur target Brennan Johnson in the final days of the summer transfer window given their apparent need for another striker.

Warnock was speaking on Sky Sports News (broadcast on 28/8; 12:25) following reports that Spurs are now in talks to sign the Nottingham Forest star.

It appears that Brennan Johnson is the name at the top of Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of this week’s transfer deadline. Sky Sports reports that Spurs are in discussions with Forest over a potential deal for the 22-year-old.

The Times has reported that Steve Cooper’s men want £50 million for Johnson. And that is a fee that Tottenham are not prepared to pay. But clearly, they are hoping that a compromise can be reached over the next few days.

Warnock surprised by Tottenham targeting Johnson

Obviously, the big hole in the Tottenham squad right now appears to be up front. Harry Kane left the club for Bayern Munich. And Richarlison is yet to prove that he can fill the void the England captain has left behind.

Johnson is not a natural striker. So he would not be a replacement. And with that, Warnock suggested that the move caught him a little off-guard.

“I think the Brennan Johnson one is a little bit of a surprise because we’re all sat here thinking they need a goalscorer, they need a number nine,” he told Sky Sports News.

“Ange Postecoglou’s looking at it, going: ‘I’ve got Kulusevski, I’ve got Son, I’ve got Richarlison. If I add another striker into that mix, then if I get 10 to 15 goals off all of them players, I’m not relying on a Harry Kane to get me 30 goals a season’. So they’re all going to chip in. I think that’s smart.”

Johnson definitely appears to provide more cover for the likes of Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski than Richarlison. He has found it much easier to make an impact when he is not leading the line for Forest.

And clearly, he has huge potential. He has already scored a number of goals in the Premier League. And he does have the talent to be a game-changer at the highest level.

It will be very interesting to see if Tottenham do now make a big play to land Johnson before the deadline.