Bournemouth striker Josh King urged to spurn Tottenham interest
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says King should stay at the Vitality Stadium and build on an impressive season.
AFC Bournemouth striker Josh King has been advised to ignore overtures from Tottenham Hotspur amid the most prolific goalscoring streak of his career. The 25-year-old has netted 15 Premier League goals this season for the Cherries to all-but assure the Cherries will enjoyed a third season in the top flight next season.
The Daily Mail understands that King's recent run of form – which has seen him net nine times in his last 10 outings – has sparked interest from Spurs, who are looking to add cover for top scorer Harry Kane. The former Manchester United youngster is under contract on the south coast until 2020 but could be lured away from the club for a fee approaching £15m.
Having racked up over 350 appearances in English football with United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is all too aware of the demands which come with playing in the Premier League. The Norwegian achieved legendary status at Old Trafford during 11 years with the club, a spell which included netting a stoppage time winner in the 1999 Champions League final.
And Solskjaer believes a move to Tottenham or elsewhere would come too soon for his fellow countryman King, who he believes has plenty of learning to do before he can step up to one of the big clubs in England. "Right now is a good time for him to be firm in Bournemouth," he told Nettavisen.
"Where he plays all his, and can lower your shoulders without perform at peak every game. There is something else to be one of four class strikers that rotates at the positions in a bigger club. It's great that Josh is so stable, and there is extra impressive that he scores so much for a team that is not in the top. He has been working hard both on and off the field. Now he knows the physics better, and is better at dealing with bad periods. When Josh is not injured and fit, he is a tremendous player,
"I think he's very good to be where he is. He has developed very over the past year, and it is not until this season that has started to score many goals. Taking a move to a bigger club is a small game of chance."
Responding to the rumours regarding interest from Tottenham, King told Nettavisen: "It is the first time I hear about it. I am happy that I am being noticed, but I'm just focusing on the last three games."
Tottenham are expected to be in the market for a new striker to take the onus off Kane, who has spent two spells out injured this term. The England international first absence coincided with the club recording three successive draws in the Premier League, a run which could end up being pivotal in the race for the title. The north Londoners trail leaders Chelsea but four points heading into the final four games of the campaign.
Vincent Janssen arrived from AZ Alkmaar in the summer transfer window but has failed to provide sufficient back-up to Kane, having netted just one top flight goal from open play this season in the Premier League, and one in the FA Cup against Millwall. The Netherlands international could be offloaded at the end of the campaign in order to make way for a more credible candidate to operate as Kane's understudy.
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