Report: Tottenham Hotspur have four-man striker shortlist

David Villa, Christian Benteke, Hulk and Lisandro Lopez are reportedly the quartet of forwards Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring as they attempt to secure Champions League qualification next season.

Despite beating Sunderland on the final day of this campaign, Spurs missed out on a top-four finish as fellow Londoners Arsenal downed Newcastle United to pip their fierce rivals by a point in the Premier League.

The Lillywhites' main deficiency this season was a lack of goals from their only two recognised strikers, with Jermain Defoe chipping in with a modest 11 league strikes and Emmanuel Adebayor contributing just five.

Spurs hope to offload Togolese frontman Adebayor in the summer, according to The Mirror, and the same report claims that Villa and Benteke are Tottenham manager Andre Villas Boas's prime attacking targets.

Benteke is poised to sit down with Aston Villa for contract talks this week, but could be tempted by a move to White Hart Lane, while 31-year-old Villa is apparently free to leave Barcelona after an injury-plagued spell.

Brazilian forward Hulk, who worked with Villas-Boas at Porto, is also on Tottenham's shortlist, while another former Porto star Lisandro Lopez, now at French side Lyon, would provide a cut-price alternative.