When Harry Kane left Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich this summer, many fans feared the move ended any hopes of the club challenging for silverware.
Despite becoming Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer, Kane’s admirable efforts in front of goal failed to translate into the club winning trophies.
Having finished eighth in the Premier League in Kane’s final season with the club, most people thought they would do well to stay in the top half of the table following his exit.
Fast forward a couple of months and the mood around Spurs has changed, with new manager Ange Postecoglou inspiring a dramatic change in fortunes.
Kane’s absence has not been felt in the slightest, with Postecoglou implementing a style of play that has already got Tottenham fans waxing lyrical.
While no one realistically expects Spurs to challenge for the title this season, a top four finish under Postecoglou is undoubtedly not beyond the realms of possibility.
Looking further ahead, Postecoglou will need to find a long-term replacement for Kane – most likely in next summer’s transfer window.
Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson has been touted as a potential target and Tottenham are reportedly monitoring his progress with the south coast club.
The Republic of Ireland star has attracted plenty of admiring glances from interested clubs this season, with a hat-trick against Newcastle United his standout performance.
The top sports betting sites in Ireland were suitably impressed by that display, slashing Ferguson’s odds to finish the season as the Premier League’s top scorer.
The Irish youngster is unlikely to achieve that feat in the face of competition from Manchester City’s Erling Braut Haaland, but the fact he is in the conversation is clearly noteworthy.
Sports bettors will likely view Ferguson as an each-way option in that particular market, with most online sportsbooks paying one-fifth the odds on the top four in the goalscoring standings.
While achieving that feat would be a significant boost for Ferguson’s reputation, it would be unwise to think it would make him the ‘next Harry Kane’.
The former Spurs captain netted 280 goals in 435 appearances for the club – a record that will likely be difficult for any player to beat for the foreseeable future.
Replacing those goals will not be easy, although Postecoglou has done an admirable job in getting Heung-min Son and Richarlison to pick up some of the slack.
If Tottenham are fortunate enough to secure Ferguson’s services next summer, inevitable comparisons will be made with Kane.
However, that potential narrative is fraught with danger, despite Ferguson’s recent claims that he has taken bits out of Harry Kane’s game and integrated them into his own.
Although it makes perfect sense for Ferguson to take inspiration from the England captain, they are different types of players and comparisons are a futile exercise.
From a Tottenham perspective they do not want Ferguson to be the next Kane because that would mean his goals will not have delivered silverware.
In an ideal world he will make a name for himself as the ‘first Evan Ferguson’ rather than being endlessly compared with Kane.
