£17M striker had ‘offer from Tottenham’, now shining in Champions League

HITC – LONDON, Sardar Azmoun could teach Harry Kane a thing or two right now. 

While Tottenham’s talismanic number ten appears to have traded in his laser-like efficacy for the accuracy of a partially-sighted storm trooper, scoring just once in his last 13 Premier League matches, Azmoun is certainly finding goals easier to come by. 

In the last two seasons, the Zenit St Petersburg frontman has tallied 21 (2019/20) and 19 (2020/21) respectively.

With ten in 21 games already in 2021/22, this is already shaping up to be the best of Azmoun’s career. 

And it’s not just Krasnodar, Khimki and FC Rostov who have found out the hard way what happens when you give the so-called ‘Iranian Messi’ time and space to pick his spot.  

COULD TOTTENHAM RETURN FOR SARDAR AZMOUN?

Reigning European champions Chelsea just couldn’t contain Azmoun during a topsy-turvy, six-goal thriller at the Gazprom Arena on Wednesday night.  

Thomas Tuchel’s defenders were left choking on Azmoun’s dust as his ruthlessly-dispatched first-half finish put Zenit ahead at the break.

And if it wasn’t for a pair of truly outstanding Kepa Arrizabalaga saves – Chelsea’s £72 million man offering a timely reminder of his qualities after Edouard Mendy’s West Ham nightmare – Azmoun could have had a European hat-trick against the Champions League holders on his CV. 

Unfortunately for Zenit, with his contract expiring next summer, performances like this will not go on forever at the Gazprom.

The £17 million-rated Azmoun has been linked with Arsenal, West Ham, and Everton, though one wonders if Tottenham Hotspur may be tempted to test the water again as Kane continues to toil. 

“I had offers from Lyon, Roma, Bayer (Leverkusen), and Tottenham,” Azmoun said back in September. “But all the offers were rejected.  

“This year I will not move anywhere.” 

Next year, however, may be a very different story.