You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone – is that how Tottenham Hotspur feel about Harry Kane?
Not that anyone wasn’t aware of the Englishman’s goalscoring exploits during his time in north London, but Kane’s consistent brilliance has been brought into even sharper focus since his exit three years ago.
Indeed, Tottenham’s record scorer has hit 146 goals in just his first 147 games at Bayern Munich, arguably now in Ballon d’Or contention amid his sparkling, prolific form for both club and country.
Back at N17, meanwhile, the succession plan hasn’t gone smoothly, amid the woes of Dominic Solanke, with the Lilywhites perhaps ruing not signing a direct Kane replacement in 2023.
Why Spurs didn’t replace Kane straight away in 2023
Then-boss Ange Postecoglou was certainly dealt a rough hand, having not only seen Kane depart for Bayern Munich in his first summer in charge, but also been left without an obvious successor through the middle.
The only major attacking arrival that summer was £47.5m man, Brennan Johnson, the Wales international plucked from Nottingham Forest late in the day, in order to bolster Postecoglou’s options on the flanks.
Perhaps the Lilywhites and Daniel Levy felt as if they’d already signed Kane’s direct replacement a year earlier, having splashed out a bumper £60m fee to prise Richarlison from Everton.
The Brazilian’s debut season in north London had ended with just – checks notes – a solitary Premier League goal, however, while he’d never exceeded 13 top-flight goals during his time at Everton, well short of the 30 that Kane hit in his final year at Tottenham.
Richarlison did end 2023/24 with 11 league goals to his name, yet he’s scored just 27 in total in four seasons in the capital, still fewer than what Kane achieved in 2022/23 alone.
|
Richarlison & Solanke – 25/26 PL |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Richarlison |
Stat (*per game) |
Solanke |
|
32 (20) |
Games (starts) |
15 (11) |
|
11 |
Goals |
3 |
|
178 |
Mins per goal |
333 |
|
18% |
Goal conversion |
15% |
|
10 |
Big chances missed |
3 |
|
4 |
Assists |
0 |
|
5 |
Big chances created |
1 |
|
0.6 |
Key passes* |
0.4 |
|
62% |
Pass accuracy* |
74% |
|
40% |
Aerial duels won* |
33% |
There was also the presence of Heung-min Son, with Postecoglou keen to utilise the South Korean as a mobile false nine:
“One of the reasons we didn’t buy (a number nine) is that Sonny, central or wide, has all the characteristics to play in any system.” Ange on Son in 2023.
As it proved, Son couldn’t fill Kane’s void either, slowing down after an initial bright start to score just ten league goals that year.
While the aforementioned Solanke was ultimately snapped up in 2024, it’s fair to say that £65m move hasn’t gone smoothly. The wait to fill Kane’s void goes on.
How Spurs can finally replace Harry Kane
Solanke, after scoring 12 league goals in two seasons for Spurs, has been tipped for a surprise move to Nottingham Forest, while Football FanCast exclusively revealed earlier this summer that Richarlison looks set to be sold before the deadline.
A new number nine appears urgent, therefore, and while there have been exciting reports regarding the club’s apparent interest in Victor Osimhen, ENIC may wish to look a little closer to home too.
Indeed, as reported by one trusted Tottenham insider, there is a deal to be done if the club wish to ramp up their pursuit of Crystal Palace talisman, Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The Frenchman had come close to a move to AC Milan back in January, before ultimately staying put to help drag Palace to Conference League glory, yet there is still uncertainty over his future at Selhurst Park.
The 29-year-old still has just a year left on his existing deal, with the Eagles likely to cash in, rather than risk losing the striker for nothing next summer, or for a Marc Guehi-style knockdown fee in January.
Considering his age and contract status, Mateta surely wouldn’t break the bank, with the reported fee regarding that failed move to Milan having been around £30m.
Anywhere close to that would be a snip for arguably “one of the best strikers in Europe“, in the view of Wayne Rooney, with Mateta proving so reliably consistent in south London over recent years.
It was initially a muted start to life in English football, following his arrival from Mainz in 2021, although the 6 foot 4 marksman’s rise in form coincided with the appointment of Oliver Glasner.
Since the start of 2023/24, Mateta has scored 42 Premier League goals, reaching double figures in each of those three seasons, including a tally of 12 from just 25 starts in 2025/26.
He hasn’t gone beyond the 16 goals he scored three seasons ago, but there is a consistency to his game that neither Richarlison nor Solanke have showcased.
Indeed, in that same three-year span, Richarlison has only scored 26 league goals, while Solanke has netted 31, albeit with the 2023/24 season at Bournemouth proving the only time the Englishman has reached double figures for goals in a top-flight campaign.
Solanke hadn’t ever shown regular consistency at Premier League level, but Spurs took the plunge anyway, ultimately paying the price amid the ongoing woes of the injury-hit ex-Liverpool and Chelsea man.
Mateta might not be a truly prolific figure himself, but he’s built up a far better body of work in the top flight, proving such a handful with his ability to create a multitude of chances, season-in, season-out.
For a potential bargain price too, this feels like the perfect way for Spurs to round off their extensive summer of business, ensuring they can finally fill Kane’s long-standing void.
Is this the ‘bomba’ signing De Zerbi is waiting for?
