Strikers to replace Harry Kane at Tottenham

The day Tottenham fans hoped would never come looks to be on the horizon, with a Harry Kane exit seeming more and more likely.

With his contract expiring next year, the club are desperate to convince their star striker to sign a new deal, but whether they'll be able to do so is very much uncertain.

The 29-year-old wants to compete for and win the biggest prizes in football and it currently looks unlikely he'll be able to do so at Spurs after yet another trophy-less campaign and no European football of any kind on offer next season.

Karim Benzema's Real Madrid departure has opened up a prime slot at one of Europe's elite, with Kane thought to be top of the list of replacements in the Spanish capital. Manchester United and Bayern Munich are also sniffing around Tottenham's talisman.

If any suitors can stomach the negotiations with Daniel Levy long enough to lure Kane away from north London, here is a potential shortlist for the poor souls tasked with replacing the club's all-time leading scorer.

Randal Kolo Muani

One man undoubtedly near the top of any shortlist is Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

The 24-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young strikers around and one of the few that, like Kane, is equally as capable of scoring and creating - Kolo Muani was one of only two players to reach double digits for goals and assists in the Bundesliga last season.

Kolo Muani revealed that it was his "dream" to play in England but Frankfurt have placed a €90m asking price on the Frenchman's ambitions.

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Marcus Thuram

Kolo Muani isn't the only French striker impressing in Germany with Marcus Thuram also catching the eye of the world's biggest clubs at Borussia Monchengladbach.

His top-line stats aren't quite as impressive as those of his compatriot but Thuram has not had the luxury of taking spot kicks. Furthermore, the son of a World Cup winner posted the highest non-penalty expected goal (xG) ratio in the Bundesliga, averaging chances worth three goals every five games.

In terms of finances, he's certainly the more attractive option with the forward available on a free transfer in the summer, but that does mean Spurs will face a lot of competition for his signature.

Goncalo Ramos

Precious few players in the world have been as lethal in front of goal as Benfica's Goncalo Ramos this season, making him an option that needs to be considered for any top club on the hunt for a striker.

Ramos exploded onto the global stage by replacing Cristiano Ronaldo at the tip of Portugal's attack in the World Cup round of 16. A hat-trick and an assist on his competitive international debut rewarded Fernando Santos' risky call.

Newfound global recognition has put a premium on the 21-year-old. It's been rumoured that Ramos will cost upwards of £100m and is being targeted by the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain, meaning the price could be driven even higher by a bidding war.

Jonathan David

Jonathan David's proliferation across the transfer gossip columns every summer is becoming a tiresome tradition, but he's linked with Europe's elite for a reason.

The Canadian enjoyed the best scoring season of his embryonic career, finishing behind only Kylian Mbappe and Alexandre Lacazette for Ligue 1 goals - although, it should be noted that a whopping ten of his league total were converted penalties.

It's about time the 23-year-old makes a step up, and while Chelsea and Arsenal are said to be interested in him, the fact that he'd be the undisputed first-choice striker at Spurs could make that move the most tempting.

Evan Ferguson

Channelling his inner Micah Richards, Evan Ferguson has burst onto the scene in 2023, finishing the season as the top-scoring teenager in the Premier League despite starting just ten games.

The Republic of Ireland international's performances haven't gone unnoticed by the big boys, with it being reported that Chelsea and Spurs are both interested in signing him in the summer.

Brighton managed to tie Ferguson to a contract extension in April and he may well be happy to stay there given how well the club are doing. But the Seagulls are always willing to do business if the price is right.

Richarlison

Maybe, just maybe, Spurs don't have to spend any money at all to replace Kane, but can instead put their faith in Richarlison.

By his own frank admission, Richarlison's debut season hasn't been one to remember, receiving more yellow cards for celebrating disallowed strikes than actual Premier League goals. To be fair to him though, he's struggled with injury and has barely played up front.

He's shown for his country and Everton that he's got what it takes to lead the line, so maybe he should be given a chance to do so with a cheaper, backup option being signed instead.