Robert Lewandowski was asked to name his top five strikers in the world during an interview with Goal. Talk about going straight to the source.
Modestly avoiding his own name, the Bayern Munich star replied: “A difficult question. If we talk about [the number] nine, I would say: Karim Benzema, Timo Werner, Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero and Kylian Mbappe.”
So no place for Harry Kane? I respectfully disagree. I can accept him being usurped by Mbappe and even Erling Haaland as the world’s hottest striking commodity; but he’s better than Werner, and the La Liga pensioners.
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Prior to our Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern last October, in which Lewandowski scored a brilliant double, his manager at the time Niko Kovac put Kane in a similar class to the relentless Pole.
Kovac told Sky Sports of Kane: “His quality in the Premier League but also in the England squad speaks for itself. He’s sensational.
“He’s a player that can do it all. He is great at keeping the ball, he’s good with his head. There is nothing he cannot do.
“He’s a very strong striker. Him and Lewandowski are probably in the top three, four in the world. That’s the way it is at the moment.”
Of course, everyone has their own opinion. Maybe Lewandowski has never rated Kane as highly as Werner or Benzema. But I suspect that’s not the case. I suspect Kane would have made Lewandowski’s shortlist six or 12 months ago and that his stock has fallen across the game during that time.
Has Tottenham’s decline hurt Kane’s reputation?
Has the 26-year-old had one injury too many?
Has a change in playing style made him less dynamic?
Perhaps all of the above contribute to why Kane’s projected value has dropped from £135m to £108m in 2020, according to transfermarkt.com.
Kane being a depreciating asset might actually be good news for Spurs if it takes him off the radar of Europe’s top prey. And Kane with a point to prove heading into what should be the peak of his career is an exciting prospect.
I agree with the comments that the new playing style does not suit him and he has been flogged to within an inch of his career without an adequate substitute. We must be one of the only sides in top level football with one centre forward on the books. I also think he has lost a yard of pace for obvious reasons. Consequently, Levy has damaged the price of his most valuable commodity by his bungling in the transfer market. He will be lucky to sell him for £100 mill now. I can’t imagine why Kane would not want to leave Spurs at this point. He will never win anything at our club.
Harry Kane with a point of to prove is the last thing we need, playing with that attitude he’ll be in the treatment room shortly. Harry’s willingness to run through brick walls is catching up with him. He doesn’t have to play every minute of every game, unless he wants to shorten his career. Champions League Final was a game to far. To be fair to Levandowski he probably hasn’t seen much of of Harry this last few years as he’s out half the season.