Marcus Forss has been impressing for Brentford (Getty Images)
According to Eurosport, Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur have registered an interest in signing Brentford winger Marcus Forss.
The report claims that the 21-year-old attacker is being monitored by a host of clubs across Europe including the likes of Borussia Dortmund. But Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is intent on landing him.
Born in Turku, Finland, Forss spent time at the academies of Ruskon Pallo, Turun Weikot, FDS Suomi before joining the West Bromwich Albion youth setup in 2012. He spent five years at the club, and went on to feature 16 times for the Baggies’ U16s and 7 times for the U23s, scoring a total of six goals in the process. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Forss joined Brentford in the summer of 2017, linking up with the club’s B team, before getting bumped up to the senior team a year later. He made his debut for the Bees in August that year, but had to wait for his time to become a regular.
Forss had a six-month loan spell at AFC Wimbledon in the first half of the last season, where he impressed heavily, netting 11 goals in 19 games. Back at Brentford, the 21-year-old has been used fairly regularly this season, albeit from the bench mostly.
So far, in 17 matches in all competitions this term, out of which just five were starts, Forss has scored seven goals for the Bees.
On the back of his impressive performances at club level, Forss earned his first call-up to the Finland national team last month. He featured three times for them, scoring a goal in the process. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Tottenham have made a dream start to the 2020/21 campaign, sitting at the top of the Premier League table after 11 games. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have been the driving forces behind their rise to the top.
But there hasn’t been a great deal of contribution from the other forwards. Lucas Moura, while hardworking, has endured a dry spell in front of goal while Steven Bergwijn’s form has also faded. In addition, Erik Lamela continues to be out injured, while Gareth Bale, who arrived on loan in the summer, is yet to hit his stride.
Considering that Bale’s spell is likely to come to an end when the season is over and Lamela facing an uncertain future at the club, Tottenham would stand to benefit from adding more bodies in the wide areas before next season.
To that end, signing Forss would be a step in the right direction for the Lilywhites. The youngster has impressed heavily, as can be seen by the numbers he has posted this season, in spite of being mostly used as a substitute.
With age on his side, the Finland international should develop further under the guidance of a top manager like Jose Mourinho. His signing would add depth to the flanks at Tottenham, in the eventuality of Lamela and Bale’s potential departure.
Forss has shown a lot of potential in his fledgling career. And adding him in the summer would provide more depth and quality at Tottenham’s disposal. With him being just 21 years old, Spurs would reap the benefits of the investment for years to come.