Tottenham after Ligue 1 top scorer who is leading the chart with 16 goals this season

Tottenham want to sign Ligue 1 top scorer from Stade Rennais.

Tottenham Hotspur are strongly interested in signing Stade Rennais forward Esteban LePaul, with the club ready to open negotiations with the French side if Roberto De Zerbi approves the move, according to Tottenham Transfer News on X.

The report is significant for two reasons. First, it confirms that Tottenham’s summer recruitment planning is already well advanced despite the club sitting one point above the relegation zone with seven games remaining. Second, and perhaps more tellingly, it underlines that De Zerbi’s influence over transfer decisions is already being felt at the boardroom level, with the club unwilling to proceed until their new head coach has given his personal endorsement of the target.

LePaul has been one of the standout performers in Ligue 1 this season, currently sitting at the top of the division’s scoring charts. That kind of prolific output in one of Europe’s established top five leagues does not go unnoticed for long, and Tottenham will be aware that any delay in formalising their interest risks other clubs accelerating their own pursuit of a player whose stock is rising rapidly.

The profile fits the kind of forward De Zerbi has consistently sought throughout his managerial career. The Italian demands intelligent movement from his attackers, an ability to read space, combine with midfielders in tight areas and contribute to the team’s overall structure rather than simply waiting for chances inside the box.

Prolific goalscorer

A top scorer who has thrived in a technically demanding league suggests a player comfortable receiving the ball in various positions and making quick decisions under pressure, qualities that De Zerbi’s system rewards heavily.

The timing also reflects the broader reality of Tottenham’s rebuild. With Cristian Romero’s future unresolved, Micky van de Ven attracting interest from Real Madrid, and a significant number of departures expected in the summer, the club need to move quickly and decisively in the transfer market. Identifying attacking targets of LePaul’s calibre before the window opens is sound planning, regardless of which division Spurs ultimately find themselves in.