Maxi Gomez would be a strange purchase for Tottenham and Mauricio Pochettino

Tottenham certainly need to purchase a second striker in the summer, but Maxi Gomez would be an awkward fit for Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs.

There’s no question that Maxi Gomez has the natural talent to give Tottenham a big boost. The more interesting question is whether or not he’s the right striker for Spurs to sign this summer. He’s developed some bad habits at Celta Vigo that might scupper his move to North London.

It’s no secret that Mauricio Pochettino requires his centre forwards to work very hard. Part of what makes Harry Kane so effective for Tottenham is his willingness to close the ball down when Spurs lose possession. That’s a signature of the way Spurs play football.

When you watch Gomez play in La Liga you don’t see very much effort on that end of the pitch. He’s an extremely talented attacker, but he doesn’t do much work to help his defensive teammates. When Pochettino sees that lack of activity it’s going to give him second thoughts about making Gomez his biggest summer purchase.

That doesn’t mean the Argentine gaffer won’t ultimately choose to bring the Uruguayan striker to Hotspur Way. Tottenham are being prominently linked with a summer swoop for Gomez for good reason. Spurs officials have to understand that purchasing a perfect striker willing to sit behind Kane isn’t going to happen. It’s very possible Pochettino and company will decide that Gomez has weaknesses they can fix.

It’s also worth noting that Tottenham overlooked the issue of work rate when they elected to bring Fernando Llorente into the fold. His issues aren’t related to effort. Instead, the Spanish veteran simply lacks the pace to close down the opposition. Despite that fact, he’s found a way to get into Pochettino’s squad on a reasonably regular basis.

It’s also true that a striker’s defensive work rate is not the most important attribute of his game. Creating chances and scoring goals is still the centre forward’s first priority. Gomez is clearly capable of excelling in that regard. He’s a big, physical player who displays explosive athleticism in the box. His distribution will need to mature to flourish at Tottenham, but that’s clearly something Pochettino can help him with.

Add it all up and it’s very likely that Spurs will, at the very least, keep close tabs on Gomez as the season progresses. Don’t be surprised if he ends up being Tottenham’s most expensive purchase of the summer.