The Lilywhites could be set to secure an instant Harry Kane heir. Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a new number nine continues, as they have earmarked a new young target to replace Harry Kane…
Who could replace Harry Kane at Spurs?
The departure of the England captain was a tough one to take for fans and those within the club, as everyone knows how much quality they have just lost, even with the lofty £100m fee attained.
Ange Postecoglou now has a curious task on his hands, deciding whether to put his trust in Richarlison and invest elsewhere, or to spend the money earned on a direct replacement. Few could do what the 30-year-old marksman has done in recent years, who leaves with 280 goals for the club.
However, that has not stopped them from perusing the market, as TEAMtalk suggest that the Lilywhites have enquired to Brighton and Hove Albion about the availability of their young striker Evan Ferguson.
The Republic of Ireland international is highly rated at the Amex Stadium, and with the security his new long-term contract brings, this will be far from an easy deal to do. Reports from earlier in the window even suggested that the Seagulls believe they have a £100m player on their hands.
How good is Evan Ferguson?
It is no surprise to see the teenage sensation draw such interest, given he is in possession of numerous assets that have already allowed him to start in the Premier League.
The 18-year-old boasts just 30 senior appearances for his current side, having scored six times in the league last term, and marked the first game of this campaign with a goal too.
His bulky, towering frame belies his pace in behind, and he blends both of these starring physical attributes with a deft touch and an ability to link up the play.
As such, he has received plenty of praise, that of which Tim Sherwood led by comparing him to one of England’s most legendary goalscorers:
“I mean he’s a man at a very young age, you know. He looks to me like the nearest thing I’ve seen to Alan Shearer. I mean, when he’s getting the ball half a yard, he’s not even giving any respect to the goalkeepers. He’s just smashing it with power. He’s just looking after contact and smashing it through the goalkeeper.”
Given how relentlessly Kane sought to chase after Shearer’s all-time Premier League scoring record, seemingly sacrificing that for silverware in Germany, to now compare their new striker target with the former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United star bodes well for Postecoglou in his hunt for a successor.
The Australian manager will not be seeking a perfect replacement for the forward, but instead someone able to hold their own and lead the line with pace, power and energy.
His youth should service the latter, whilst Ferguson’s interview with Sky Sports helped outline how he shares enough similarities to make up for what they have just lost.
Spending the earlier parts of his career in midfield definitely aided this notion: “I think it’s helped me sort of just be more natural as a modern striker. You see strikers now, like Harry Kane, the way they drop in… I wouldn’t be surprised if he played midfield as a kid.
“I can understand the kind of run to make or when to delay a pass. It’s helped me be more complete.”
With the physicality and finishing know-how to emulate Shearer, but the quality to create and score that mirrors Kane, Ferguson could be that big-money risk that helps lay the foundation for over a decade of success under Postecoglou.
