Spurs are facing a race against time to replace their offensive talisman before the transfer window closes…
It's been touted to be happening for years, but there was still an element of disbelief when Harry Kane pulled on a Bayern Munich shirt for the first time on Saturday. The man who had dragged Tottenham to the dizziest heights of their modern era – almost single-handedly at times – has left the building. Now, Spurs need to find a new hero – and fast.
With less than three weeks left until the summer transfer window closes, Spurs are facing the daunting prospect of Richarlison leading the line single-handedly for the entire season, unless they can recruit a new No.9.
At least Daniel Levy has a sizeable chunk of change to play with, with Bayern paying an initial €100m (£86.1m/$108.8m) plus add-ons for Kane. Then again, in the current market, even a war chest that size does not give you complete freedom, meaning Ange Postecoglou may need to settle for one of the names lower down on his shortlist.
Ahead of what is set to be a hectic few weeks, GOAL has taken a look at how Tottenham could go about completing the impossible job of replacing Kane:
Getty ImagesRicharlison (Tottenham)
Tottenham have already spent £50m+ ($63.5m) on a potential Kane replacement in the relatively recent past. Richarlison's maiden season in north London following his arrival from Everton was pretty shambolic, however, with the Brazilian scoring just once in the Premier League.
Prior to this sharp drop off in form, he boasted a fairly reliable record in front of goal and was trusted with filling Kane's boots against Brentford on the opening weekend. The reviews were mixed at best. He had a handful of chances but again drew a blank, with Postecoglou calling for better service from those behind him moving forward.
“I thought we could have been a little bit more direct to him and look for him a little bit more,” the Spurs boss said. “He was making some good runs and he was working hard. He had a couple of half-opportunities, but I thought we could have created more for him. The key for us with Richy is to keep supporting him because he’s working awfully hard for the team in a defensive sense and when we get in that front third I thought we didn’t look enough for him today. I have got a lot of time for him. He’s a striker and he’s got a lot of great attributes and he will always work hard for the team, and that’s a good starting point for me.”
While his manager is convinced he will come good, Spurs could clearly use another centre-forward. Should Richarlison go down with an injury, Postecoglou would be left scratching around for a No.9, with Son Heung-min or Manor Solomon likely to be asked to play out of position.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesRomelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Romelu Lukaku has endured a miserable few months. Since missing golden chance in the Champions League final for Inter, the Belgian has managed to alienate the only fanbase that has ever loved him unconditionally, and there is now next to no chance of him securing a permanent return to San Siro.
Following significant supporter backlash, Juventus no longer seem interested either, while links with Saudi Arabia have cooled significantly too. As a result, Lukaku is in limbo at Chelsea, with new manager Mauricio Pochettino showing no indication that he is part of his plans. Could Tottenham offer Lukaku salvation? Quite possibly.
Things haven't gone tremendously well since Lukaku left Inter the first time, but it's worth remembering what earned him his big-money move to Stamford Bridge in the first place. Between 2019 and 2021, the 30-year-old could not stop scoring, with his goals propelling the Nerazzurri to the Serie A title in 2021.
It's clear Lukaku needs a bit of love to thrive and he would get that in abundance under Postecoglou's care. As long as Spurs' other forwards can get close to him when they're attacking, he should be a snug fit stylistically too.
Wages could be an issue, but then again Chelsea are desperate to sell, which puts Daniel Levy in a strong negotiating position. This is one to watch very closely over the next few weeks.
(C)Getty imagesDusan Vlahovic (Juventus)
Like Lukaku, Dusan Vlahovic might be regretting his most recent transfer. The Serbian had his pick of Europe's top clubs when he opted to leave Fiorentina partway through the 2021-22 season, eventually opting to remain in Italy by joining Juventus. Vlahovic's time in Turin, however, has been punctuated by off-field turmoil and on-field dysfunction under Max Allegri – with the frontman managing just 23 goals in 63 appearances.
There are several reasons for his underwhelming form. A troublesome groin injury has limited his influence, while the highly-pragmatic Allegri has been accused of shackling the Serbian's potential by asking him to play too deep. The manager does not appear to be leaving Turin any time soon, so Vlahovic might have to be the one to move on.
While he would likely prefer to join a Champions League club, no one who fits this description appears to be searching for a striker. Tottenham would represent a welcome change of scenery, and Postecoglou would no doubt facilitate his return to the penalty-box predator that took Europe by storm a few years back.
The chance to be Spurs' undisputed star man is also likely to appeal. Vlahovic is certainly no shrinking violet, taking Cristiano Ronaldo's No.7 shirt after arriving at Juventus.
GettyFolarin Balogun (Arsenal)
Folarin Balogun had been expected to join Inter this summer, with the United States men's national team star dropping a huge hint that the Serie A side was his preferred destination by posting a clip of himself watching prime Ronaldo Nazario highlights from his time at San Siro.
However, despite the striker's clear preference to join the Nerazzurri, a concrete offer has not emerged, opening the door for other clubs to sign him. West Ham and Monaco have both been linked, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Tottenham enter the fray too.
Balogun enjoyed a breakout 2022-23, netting a stunning 21 goals for mid-table Reims in Ligue 1. That's more league goals than Marcus Rashford, Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi managed last season.
Balogun is a lethal finisher, but is also able to fashion chances for himself thanks to his excellent dribbling ability. Naysayers may point to his lack of assists, but with James Maddison arriving at Spurs this summer, whoever replaces Kane will not have to be anywhere near as creative as he was in his prime.
Obviously, crossing the north London divide would not make him a popular man with Arsenal supporters, but with some Gunners fans already beginning to sour on the U.S. international, he may not mind ruffling a few feathers.