Harry Kane got what he wanted. The England captain, who went on to be prolific if fruitless as Tottenham Hotspur’s undisputed talisman, is now reaping the benefits of his decision to leave in 2023.
Winning the Bundesliga title is no big deal considering Bayern Munich’s strength, but what was particularly impressive was the way Kane did it.
The 32-year-old, who has already scored up to 51 goals in all competitions this season, has scored 136 goals in a total of 139 games for the German giants, reaffirming his status as perhaps the best number nine in the game at the moment.
Meanwhile, north London continues to wait for a true successor to the academy graduates, but as things stand, Dominic Solanke and others are not yet on that path.
£22m star wants to join Spurs despite relegation
Roberto de Zerbi’s side had a much better performance against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, but their front line is still struggling to get into gear.
In fact, starting striker Solanke has scored just three goals in the Premier League this injury-hit season, while Randal Kolo Muani has scored just one goal in the top flight after joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
Reinforcements are needed, but much will depend on whether the Lilywhites can be dragged to safety, even if the likes of James Trafford are believed to be keen on a move.
Fellow rising star Troy Parrott is also thought to fall into that category, with Football London’s Alasdair Gold reporting that the former Spurs starlet is hoping to return to his former team this summer, even if they fail in the Championship.
As pointed out by Gold, the Republic of Ireland star was sold to AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024 for just £6.7m, but that contract included a 20% sell-on clause, meaning the 24-year-old is now worth close to €25m (about £22m).
Reports suggest that a number of elite clubs are eyeing him, including Napoli, Real Betis, Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax, but Parrott himself seems willing to settle unfinished business at N17.
Why Parrott could be Kane’s long-awaited successor
It is still remarkable that Ange Postecoglou was able to lead Spurs to a fifth-place finish so soon after Kane’s departure, even though the club’s record scorer’s direct successor was not signed until the following summer.
Top Scorers 25/26 – Big 5 League | ||
|---|---|---|
player | game | the goal |
Kane | 27 | 32 |
haaland | 31 | twenty three |
mbappe | 26 | twenty three |
Thiago | 33 | twenty one |
Muriki | 30 | twenty one |
Unduff | twenty five | 18 |
Rupaul | 30 | 17 |
Lautaro | 26 | 16 |
Panichelli | 27 | 16 |
Let’s become | 30 | 16 |
It must be said that that patience was not always rewarded, with eventual arrival Solanke scoring just 12 league goals in two seasons in north London.
Richarlison, on the other hand, has scored 25 league goals in his four seasons at the club, and there is no doubt that the centre-forward position is a top priority heading into the summer.
It remains to be seen whether Parrott will be Kane’s long-awaited successor, but he had a string of loan spells at the club before leaving permanently two years ago, making just four first-team appearances during his time at the club so far.
Things didn’t go to plan at first, but the Irishman has definitely improved since then, scoring 17 goals in 32 games for Excelsior in the 2023/24 season before scoring 50 goals in just 92 games for AZ.
Like Kane in his younger days, his loan spell in England’s EFL was less than stellar, scoring just 16 goals in spells at Millwall, MK Dons, Preston and Ipswich, but that experience in the lower leagues seems to have served him well in his current form.
This season in particular, Parrott has achieved tremendous results in Dutch football, scoring or assisting 41 times in just 45 games in all competitions, and most recently scoring in the final to help his team win the KNVB Cup.
At international level, the Dubliner has emerged as a key player in a growing team, scoring 11 of his 35 senior caps to date, including five goals in World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Hungary.
He is now a proven elite goalscorer for both club and country, while also boasting real creative instincts, with Gold pointing out that he would fit perfectly into De Zerbi’s high-pressing set-up.
In the opinion of one prominent Premier League analyst, he is “very similar to Harry Kane”, a sign that he could make a big impact if given consistent game time in N17.
As it stands, Parrott looks like the man who got away as far as Tottenham are concerned, but the £22m-rated striker’s desire to return could open the door for a second act.
£35m star like ‘Poch-era Dele Alli’ could be let go by Spurs
Tottenham remain in the relegation zone after dropping points in the final stages against Brighton.
