Tottenham Hotspur will want to forget about last weekend’s defeat against Brighton as quickly as possible, but the current international break has given them no time to make amends.
Ange Postecoglou’s side fell to a 3-2 defeat after leading 2-0 at the break, after goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, but a second half collapse saw Spurs leave the AMEX empty-handed.
The Lilywhites currently sit ninth in the Premier League, largely thanks to Johnson, who has now managed to score in six consecutive outings despite his early season form which saw him widely criticised on social media.
However, summer signing Dominic Solanke has only managed three goals since his move from Bournemouth during the summer transfer window, enduring a steady start to life in North London.
Undoubtedly, he will need time to settle and adjust to life in the capital, but it’s safe to say they could be missing the presence of one player who departed the Tottenham Hotspur stadium last summer.
Harry Kane’s time at Tottenham Hotspur
Harry Kane is a player who will always remain a key player in Tottenham’s history, bursting through the academy before making a huge impact on the club’s first team.
After various loan spells at lower league clubs, the striker made his breakthrough during the 2014/15 season, scoring 31 goals in all competitions throughout his 51 appearances.
The now 31-year-old would remain a constant source of goals during his time at the club, registering over 20 goals in all competitions during each one of his nine full seasons as a first-team member.
He notched a total of 280 goals for Spurs, making him the club’s all-time leading scorer, with his tally of 213 Premier League goals putting him second to only Alan Shearer in the goalscoring charts for the history of the division.
However, he would depart his boyhood club last summer, joining European giants Bayern Munich for a reported £86m which could rise to £100m with add-ons.
Undoubtedly, losing such a huge number of goals would impact Postecoglou’s side, but there is hope that Solanke will be able to fill the void left by the England international.
However, they may have been better off signing a player who has thrived already in the opening months of the new campaign, producing some incredible figures in the process.
The man who’s outscoring Kane in the Bundesliga
A striker was top of the club’s shopping list this summer, as they tried to break into the Premier League’s top four and secure a place in the Champions League for next season.
Solanke was the chosen one, arriving from Bournemouth in a £65m transfer - a club-record deal which demonstrated the intent of the hierarchy to reach the next level.
However, they were also heavily linked with a move to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush during the same window, but no move for the Egyptian ever materialised.
Nottingham Forest were also interested in landing the 25-year-old, but despite coming close to agreeing a deal, the forward decided to stay with the Bundesliga outfit.
Since remaining in Germany, he has been a revelation, finding the net on a regular basis for his club side.
The decision appears to be a phenomenal one, with the “outstanding” talent, as dubbed by his agent Michael Reschke, registering eight goals in his first six league outings, a tally higher than former fan-favourite Kane who’s only notched five in the same number of fixtures for Bayern.
Marmoush, who’s now valued at £40m according to reports, is undoubtedly enjoying a purple patch in front of goal, demonstrating his talents on a regular basis, with his goalscoring exploits undoubtedly improving Postecoglou’s side.
Whilst there’s no denying Solanke’s talent, the Egyptian’s goalscoring record this season is hugely impressive, with the club potentially living to regret not pushing to complete a deal for the talisman.
However, unfortunately for Spurs, Marmoush will go down as another player who slipped the net, leaving the forward to demonstrate what the North London outfit could’ve had.