By Darren Bent

22nd Aug, 2020 | 5:00pm

Exclusive: Striker tipped to make waves as Tottenham work on marquee signing

Darren Bent has backed Callum Wilson to give Harry Kane some fierce competition if he signs for Tottenham from Bournemouth this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, the former Spurs and England striker believes the Cherries’ star is the sort of natural centre-forward the Lilywhites need as cover for their attacking talisman.

As revealed by Football Insider on Wednesday, Jose Mourinho has personally contacted the 28-year-old to gauge his interest in swapping the south coast for north London this summer.

The striker is expected to leave Bournemouth this summer after the Cherries were relegated to the Championship last season.

Bent believes that with Kane’s record of persistent injury setbacks Spurs need a player like Wilson to offer a natural replacement.

Bent told Football Insider: “They need someone who’s adequate backup to Harry Kane and Callum Wilson’s smart enough to understand to know he’s not going to go down there and play straight away.

“If Harry Kane’s fit, Harry Kane plays, but we’ve seen Harry Kane get injured every single season for the last couple of years and they’ve never really had anyone come in and be adequate backup.

“You’ve had people kind of carry the load, Son stepped up a bit and scored goals but I think if you’ve got another genuine number nine who can come in and score goals, you never know, if Harry Kane gets injured and Wilson goes and starts smashing the goals in, we’ve got a fight on our hands.

“I like what Mourinho’s doing there.” 

Wilson has scored a total of 41 goals in 126 Premier League appearances to date, with eight of those strikes hit last season.

He also has four England caps to his name and he scored his only international goal on his debut against the USA.

In other Tottenham news, it can be REVEALED the club are confident of pulling off a new attacking signing next week.