Harry Kane is a legend of “Tottenham Hotspur”. He is a global icon of the game. He is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or.
In recent years, there was no better striker in the world. In the 2025/26 season, he scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich before scoring 6 more goals for England at the World Cup.
But once upon a time, Kane was a struggling striker in the EFL. His path to stardom was not easy.
How Kane rose through the ranks at Spurs
We have all seen the photo. Young Kane celebrates Premier League title with Arsenal. After all, he was in their academy as a child.
Again, he was told to pack his bags and find another club. This is one of the biggest mistakes the club’s academy has ever made.
Former academy manager Roy Massey once told talkSPORT: “Harry was a lovely young player. He was quiet, shy, he didn’t have what we thought it took to be a professional footballer and we were completely wrong.”
Massey continued: “I have to say that when Harry was released when he was 11 or 12, he went to play in the Sunday League for the next three years, so no other club took him at that age group. He only went to Tottenham when he was 15 and obviously he was a huge success.”
Discussing Kane’s release from Arsenal, Liam Brady elaborated further, saying: “He was a bit fat, not very athletic, but we made a mistake.”
Pretty much. After leaving the Gunners, the striker became the best player in the world.
However, as Massey points out, Kane’s path has not been simple. The center forward in Tottenham has scored nine goals in 13 official matches in U21. He was clinical at age-group level but, like many, trying to make his way, he initially failed to find success in senior football.
Loan moves with Norwich, Leicester, Millwall and Leyton Orient saw him fail to set the world alight. However, in 2014/15 it suddenly exploded. A 31-goal season at Spurs set the tone for what was to come. He is now one of the greatest.
He scored 280 goals for Tottenham before joining Bayern Munich, where he scored 152 times in 154 games.
The new Kane could appear at Spurs
Unsurprisingly, Spurs have struggled to replace Kane. To be honest, they will never be able to do it easily.
Dominic Solanke was the chosen man, but especially on a fee of £65m, he used the funds poorly. The Englishman scored 16 times in his debut season for the Lilies, but struggled with form and fitness last term, netting just 6 times.
So what is the solution? Considering that Omar Marmush has been aimless since his arrival, it may not be.
Could the academy give Roberto De Zerbi something to think about? Mikey Moore is currently on loan with Koln in Germany and represents an interesting option. Irish centre-forward Mason Melia could be a player to keep an eye on for years to come.
Likewise, young Oliver Boast is a man to be reckoned with. If you haven’t heard of him yet, you sure will soon.
The teenager, aged just 17, joined Spurs from Leeds in the summer of 2025 after scoring ten goals in 20 U18 appearances.
Since arriving in north London, it has only gotten better. It’s safe to say that Boast looks like one of the most clinical strikers to appear at Spurs since, shall we say, Mr Kane.
The youngster is enjoying an extraordinary season in front of goal so far, scoring 12 goals in just six U18 Premier League appearances.
He scored once in four consecutive games and then scored four times in a 7-1 win over West Brom at the end of last month.
Boasts — to pardon the pun — boasts a ridiculous record, and it looks like it’s getting better. But other than goals, what is it about?
Como scout Ben Mattinson noted while the striker was still at Leeds that he was “a clinical finisher and has good pace and movement to strip defenders to create space and receive passes”.
Additional scouts noted that he was an “intelligent” striker with a “very clean first touch”. Bragging is also versatile. Although he mainly plays as a striker for Tottenham, he can also play on the right wing.
Unsurprisingly, the former Leeds academy player is yet to make a first-team appearance, but it won’t be long before De Zerbi starts to look at him.
With a track record like his, he can’t be ignored for too long.