According to a recent report from the BBC, Tottenham striker Harry Kane looks set for a spell on the sidelines due to injury. The England captain injured his ankle in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League at the weekend, as Mauricio Pochettino’s men succumbed to their second successive home loss in the league having gone down 3-1 to Wolves in their previous outing at the national stadium.
And their frustration has been compounded by reports suggesting that 25-year-old Kane looks set to be out of action until March due to an ankle issue, which alongside Son Heung-min’s participation at the Asian Cup leaves Pochettino seriously short of genuine striking options.
And that is why, with Kane injured for the next six weeks or so, the North Londoners simply must seek to lure in-demand West Ham ace Marko Arnautovic, valued at £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, across the capital.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, it goes without saying just how integral Kane is to this Tottenham team given he has bagged 20 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for Pochettino’s side this term, 14 of which have come in the Premier League in their run to third place after 22 games of the season.
And with at least 28 goals in each of his previous four seasons in North London, the Englishman has become one of the finest strikers in world football under the guidance of Pochettino, whose absence would likely affect any team given just how influential he has proven to be over the years.
Yet that absence has been compounded by Son’s participation at the Asian Cup, which leaves Pochettino with only Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen as his senior striking options, neither of whom have exactly pulled up any trees during their respective stints at Spurs.
And that is why chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s hierarchy must splash some cash this month by luring West Ham’s Arnautovic across the capital, as doing so could give Pochettino his perfect replacement for the injured Kane.
The Austria international has been something of a revelation since making the move to the London Stadium back in 2017, as although he didn’t make a particularly great start to life in East London, he has seriously produced the goods in the last 12 months or so.
The 29-year-old, converted into a number nine by ex-Hammers chief David Moyes last season, netted 11 goals and laid on six assists for West Ham last time round to help pull the club away from the Premier League relegation dog-fight, eventually finishing 13th in the table, before adding seven already this term as they begin to climb the division under Manuel Pellegrini.
In fact, no West Ham player scored more goals than Arnautovic last season and he is currently tied with Felipe Anderson on eight in all competitions this time round to underline just how vital he has become at the London Stadium – his transformation into the main man up top has been quite extraordinary.
And that must be of keen interest to Pochettino and Tottenham as they seek the man to replace Kane in the coming weeks and months – yes, Kane may only be out for around six weeks, but in that time Spurs’ season could completely unravel given the games they have coming up.
And with Arnautovic proven in the Premier League and seemingly relishing the main striker’s role at West Ham, he appears to be the man for the job – and when Kane does return to full fitness, the 29-year-old is just as adept in an attacking role behind the striker to thus give Pochettino another hugely accomplished option in that area of the pitch.
But with the Austrian reportedly subject of interest from a club in the Chinese Super League, Spurs simply must act fast to lure the perfect Kane replacement across London this month.
Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!