Harry Kane: will he or won’t he?

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Photo by Кирилл Венедиктов - https://www.soccer.ru/galery/1053441/photo/729801

Posted By: Voice of London 7 November 2020

That is the question on every Spurs fans’ lips after Kane just scored his 200thgoal for the club.

Most say that he will, but current top scorer Jimmy Greaves is the target in sight down Kane’s scope with 266 goals.

One is trophyless, but nonetheless nationally lauded (except by Arsenal fans) and already a club legend. The other is a World Cup winner, loved by all (probably – except some Arsenal fans) and the all-time English top-flight goalscorer.

Infographic by William Murray (via Canva).

That record alone puts into perspective the modern Premier League centric view fans and pundits have towards football. Pre-1992 stats and players are often overlooked. Greaves scored 357 goals in English top-flight games, whereas Alan Shearer only scored 260.

Some see Kane’s chances as a matter of time scenario, only 67 goals for a man who has previously scored 41 in a season, with Kane guaranteed to beat this target but some things stand in his way, namely; injuries, age, and transfers.

Harry Kane has already written himself into Spur’s history books. He is undeniably a huge figure in their present and their future. Eventually, this will include the club’s past, but Spurs fans will hope not for a long time yet.

If a transfer away was an option, it has become less so after the post-COVID financial crisis football has found itself in. Famously tough negotiator Daniel Levy won’t ever accept a fee that would insult the club or the player’s worth.

Infographic by William Murray (via Canva).

That leaves only £150 million bids and above to be made (and accepted), for the player so integrally associated with the club to agitate for a move away or for him to refuse to sign a new contract. It is hard to imagine communication between Spurs and Kane ever reaching such a point.

One only needs to point out that his current contract runs until 2024 before he even gets a chance to think about not re-signing. It would be surprising if Kane didn’t notch up the required 68 goals to become the outright top scorer for Spurs in the space of four seasons.

Injuries have begun to take their effect on the forward, who is a little less spritely and a lot more injury-prone than he used to be. However, the start of this season has suggested none of his goal-scoring prowess has disappeared, hitting 12 goals in 13 appearances in a dynamic partnership with Heung Min Son.

Having missed 102 days of football with injuries reported between 2009 to 2016, the 27-year-old has missed 292 days in the four years since. Assuming that is only going to get worse over the next few years, as Kane approaching his thirties means even more games missed. Though there is always the age-old argument that his 27-32-year-old mentality will make up for any physical issues in the prime of his career.

It’s safe to say that short of incredibly surprising outcomes, Kane should be able to reach and beat Greaves’ record. What he does after that may have something to do with matching Alan Shearer’s 260 goal Premier League record, or Wayne Rooney’s 53 goal England record.

 

Copy: William Murray | Sub Editor: Kristina Hristova

 

 

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