Tottenham Target Milan Striker Krzysztof Piatek as Stop-Gap for Injured Harry Kane

​Tottenham have joined the race to sign Krzysztof Piatek this window after Aston Villa launched their own bid to secure the AC Milan striker's signature.

Harry Kane has been ruled out for foreseeable future with a torn hamstring picked up against Southampton, meaning Jose Mourinho may need to delve into the market for a new striker this month.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return has placed Piatek further down the pecking order at San Siro, prompting clubs across Europe to take note ahead of a potential winter swoop. Milan would be willing to ship out the 24-year-old if they can recoup the £30m they paid Genoa last year.

That has prompted ​Spurs to act, according to ​The Guardian, as they look to steal a march on Villa in the race to secure the striker's signature. Dean Smith's ​side lined up the Pole as a replacement for Wesley, who's been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering significant ligament damage.

Neither Villa nor Spurs, or indeed Newcastle who hold an interest, would be keen on a permanent deal though, something that ​Milan would preferably like to sanction. They would rather sell Piatek outright, although their stance may shift as the window drags on, depending on how Ibrahimovic performs.

Tottenham's January stance is that if the right player became available on a permanent deal and represented a viable long-term outlay, as opposed to a short-term fix, it would be considered. However, funds are tight and their immediate focus would be towards loan acquisitions.

That could shift if funds are made from a sale of ​Christian Eriksen, who is drawing attention from Inter this month. The Serie A side have been linked with a £20m bid for the playmaker and, should that materialise, Spurs would have more wiggle room in the market. Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has ​denied having any contact with Spurs. 

Without Kane in the side, Spurs do not have a recognised senior striker in the squad, with only 17-year-old Troy Parrott available to fill the role without swapping position. Due to Kane's importance, the club have struggled to secure a backup forward and whether Piatek would be willing to come in short-term during his absence remains to be seen.

That said, the length of time Kane will be sidelined for is not yet known, therefore a lengthy spell out would open the door for Piatek to stake a claim in the side.

Source : 90min