Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel, in an exclusive Sports Mole interview, has highlighted the one thing still missing from the Spurs squad as their ascent up the Premier League table continues.

The Lilywhites do battle with Leeds United on Saturday lunchtime bidding to make it four straight wins in the top flight, having slain Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace over the last three matchdays.

After failing to prevail in any of their first six Premier League games of the season and finding themselves down in last place at one point, Tottenham are now in the top half and are one of just three teams to have won their most recent three games, alongside Bournemouth and champions Arsenal.

Roberto De Zerbi's men are now only three points off the top five and four points adrift of the Champions League spots, raising expectations that the previous 17th-placed finishers could push for Europe between now and May.

While Friedel was loath to set a minimum expectation for Tottenham this term, the ex-USA international admitted that even though Spurs are on the up, they are still lacking a lethal striker to complement Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham urged to sign new striker in 2027 transfer window

"Whether it's fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, more importantly is being on top and being the better team in most of the games that you play, and having some comfortable victories, bossing games," Friedel said.

"Last weekend's game against Palace was the first time in two years that I thought, from the moment the whistle blew to the end of the game, that Tottenham were going to win. The first time.

"I know the sending-off killed Palace's chances off, but you still have to break down the team, you still have to create the chances, you still have to do all the right things, not concede silly goals.

"Because in the last two seasons, that wasn't a guarantee that they were going to win against 10 men. And they still are decimated a bit by injury.

"I was at Stamford Bridge for the game, James Maddison was brilliant, so it was unfortunate he got injured again in the game. But he, Tonali and Fernandes in the middle were really good. They controlled the entire midfield.

"I thought Mathys Tel, that was the best that I've seen Tel play for Tottenham on that day. Wanted the ball, wanted to take on the right-back every single time that he touched the ball, scored a good goal for it.

"I do still think they need goals, more goals. So I'm sure that De Zerbi knows that and the recruitment team know that.

"If you get another striker and you also have Solanke, that's a really good strike force in the Premier League to go through all season. But things are looking up. Really, really pleased for them because last year, especially, I thought at one stage they were gone. I really did."

What strikers can Tottenham sign in January?

With 10 goals in the 2026-27 Premier League so far, Tottenham are the joint second-lowest scorers in the top half of the table after nine rounds; only Everton (9) have found the back of the net fewer times.

Last season's top scorer Richarlison remains in exile with little sign of a revival, but De Zerbi's brutal decision with the Brazilian is yet to bear fruit, as Omar Marmoush and Solanke have netted just one Premier League goal apiece in 2026-27.

Potential 2027 signings include Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis, who has scored 18 goals in as many games for the Portuguese giants this season and is valued at £85m by the Eagles.

Spurs could also battle Arsenal and Barcelona for Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi, who has already netted five Champions League goals in 2026-27, including a hat-trick against Inter Milan.