Tottenham's desperate striker situation continues to rumble on, with Richarlison seemingly no closer to finding a way out of the club and Dominic Solanke still without a Premier League goal this season.

It's been a miserable start to the season for Tottenham, sitting bottom of the table with just two goals to their name despite spending over £300m in the summer, and De Zerbi is already feeling the heat following Saturday's defeat to Aston Villa.

Richarlison saga showing no signs of ending

The ongoing Richarlison saga bubbling away in the background has certainly not helped ease tensions at Hotspur Way, with attempts to engineer moves to both Trabzonspor and Vasco da Gama collapsing and De Zerbi confirming the Brazilian won't feature again even when he's available.

The latest twist, according to Alasdair Gold, is interest from the UAE - though Richarlison himself is reportedly not keen on the move. Gold revealed this week that Shabab Al Ahli have made an enquiry over the financial requirements of a deal but have stopped short of an official bid, and that those close to the player have expressed doubt the move would appeal to him right now.

With the Gulf state's transfer window closing next Monday and Richarlison's contract at Spurs expiring in 2027, the club have just days left to find an agreement before their best chance of recouping a fee disappears.

It comes as Football Insider report that Tottenham are looking to sell players in order to fund a move for a "proven top-level" striker in January, with the club aware they'll need to balance the books through exits before they can bring in new attacking reinforcements.

Tottenham make Mathys Tel exit decision

Football FanCast sources understand Richarlison isn't the only player De Zerbi is eager to see leave this winter, and it is actually fellow forward Mathys Tel who will be the first face in the shop window.

Unlike the Brazilian, Spurs are understood to believe they can recoup a good fee for Tel despite his struggles since arriving in North London. He's still only 21, is contracted until 2031, and came through a Rennes pipeline that has produced a string of major talents in recent years, even tempting Bayern Munich into gambling on him before his switch to North London.

Tel wasn't included in the squad at all for the defeat to Aston Villa, following what appeared to be a spat on the pitch with De Zerbi during the draw with Everton.

Which strikers could Tottenham target in January?

Ivan Toney is a name that has been repeatedly linked with Spurs, and it's easy to see why. The former Brentford striker built a reputation as one of the most clinical finishers in the Premier League before his move to Saudi Arabia, and despite question marks over whether he could readapt to the elite level he was included in Thomas Tuchel's England squad this summer.

With Tottenham short of a genuine focal point up front, Toney's profile as an out-and-out number nine who can hold up play and finish chances makes him an obvious fit on paper, even if his age and time away from the top flight would be factors De Zerbi's recruitment team would need to weigh up carefully.

Victor Osimhen is the more eye-catching option, and one that would represent a serious statement of intent if Spurs were able to get a deal over the line.

The Nigerian has continued to prove his goalscoring pedigree since leaving Napoli, and a move to the Premier League has long been mooted as the next step in his career. Osimhen's physicality and aerial threat would address exactly the kind of qualities Tottenham currently lack in attack, though any move would likely come with a significant price tag attached and plenty of competition from elsewhere in Europe.