Tottenham Risk Top Four Failure as Trio of Strikers Are Linked with January Exits

Tottenham Hotspur could find themselves short of options in attack come January as Jermain Defoe, Emmanuel Adebayor and Harry Kane have all been linked with a possible departure from White Hart Lane.

The north London club currently find themselves in fourth place, a position they would be delighted with come the end of the season, but they have scored just nine goals in their opening nine league games.

Summer signing Roberto Soldado has showed glimpses of his best form but three of his four league goals have come from the penalty spot.

Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas currently has plenty in reserve with Defoe, Adebayor and Kane all pushing for a regular starting berth but it seems all three will have the chance to leave in January.

Adebayor, who has fallen well down the pecking order, has been strongly linked with a move to Besiktas, while it seems Kane could join a number of Tottenham colleagues on-loan at Swindon.

Now there are even question marks over whether Defoe will remain at the club after former Spurs defender Ryan Nelson admitted he was in constant contact with the striker as he looks to convince him to make the move to the MLS.

"[He is] One of the most natural goalscorers I have ever come across. Always out training, always trying to score, a great guy," said Toronto manager Nelson, as quoted in the Daily Mail.

"To get a guy like Defoe for the MLS, I cannot think of many that are more suited. I think if you ask most Premier League teams, they would take Defoe.

"It would be incredible. I call him and text him all the time. Him playing in Toronto would be phenomenal.

"If you look around the world and try and think of a realistic player - and I am not sure how realistic he is - that complements a league like ours, never gets injured, doesn't drink, can play high, low, scores all sorts of goals."

Villas-Boas will certainly be keen to keep Defoe but the England international may well question his future at the club if he struggles to gain regular Premier League action.

As the season progresses and the pressure intensifies Villas-Boas will want to have plenty of options in attack to make sure Tottenham do not narrowly miss out on a place in the top four, as with the previous two seasons.

The former Chelsea boss will hope the likes of Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen can provide some vital goals but it seems a new striker may well have to be a priority in January.