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Signing a temporary replacement for Harry Kane was believed to be Tottenham Hotspur's priority in the January transfer window after the striker suffered a hamstring injury on New Year's Day. It appears the London giants now have a bigger problem on their hands. The England skipper recently suggested that he may be looking elsewhere to achieve his title ambitions, causing a stir in the Spurs fanbase.
The 26-year-old reiterated his desire for a higher objective in a live Instagram broadcast with Jamie Redknapp, and admitted that he would not stay at the club if they are not "progressing as a team or going in the right direction."
The likes of Manchester United and Manchester City are believed to be closely monitoring Kane's situation with Spurs and are keen on acquiring his signature this summer. With the striker himself offering no guarantees into his future at Spurs, we take a look at three players who can replace him if he decides to leave soon.
#1 Danny Ings (Southampton)
Danny Ings has been a key figure behind Southampton's absence from the relegation dogfight this season. The striker has gotten the better of his injury woes in previous years and has emerged as one of the most prolific frontmen in the Premier League.
The 27-year-old enjoyed a productive 2019-20 campaign at St. Mary's before all footballing activities were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He had tallied 18 goals and two assists in all competitions. Ings is currently the fifth-highest goalscorer in the English top-flight and is only four goals away from present top-scorer Jamie Vardy's tally.
The former Burnley man would be a decent option for Spurs to consider should Kane decide to leave the club. His determination to get into the penalty box and his dribbling skills, coupled with his lethal finishing and his exquisite off-the-ball movement are strengths that will be highly-valued at the London outfit. Furthermore, his defensive astuteness and omnipresence across the pitch are also added benefits should the club decide to sign him.
The Saints will not be too keen on letting Ings leave the club, especially since he still has a few good years left in him. However, a little show of money and Daniel Levy's tendency to facilitate a bargain transfer may just be enough to bring the striker to the capital.
#2 Moussa Dembele (Lyon)
Since he departed Fulham in July 2016, Moussa Dembele has made a name for himself in Scotland and France, enjoying impressive spells at Celtic and Lyon in the last few years.
The 23-year-old notched up 51 goals in 94 appearances during his stint in Glasgow and has maintained his form in France this season. Dembele has already netted 22 goals and provided seven assists for Lyon in all competitions. He is also the third-highest goalscorer in Ligue 1 this term and is only two goals away from joint first-place holders Kylian Mbappe and Wissam Ben Yedder.
The former Fulham striker is clinical in his finishing, is comfortable with the ball in wide areas and boasts of immense aerial ability and brilliant link-up plays. His physicality could also be considered a bonus, especially in a competition as taxing as the Premier League.
Dembele has already been linked to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United in recent months and Spurs will likely be in for a transfer battle if they choose to pursue him. This is not the first time the north London giants have shown an interest in the forward, having been close to signing him back in 2016 in what now looks like it could have been a bargain deal.
#3 Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Tottenham Hotspur's interest in Timo Werner began five years ago when they looked to sign him from Stuttgart when he was 19 years old. Today, the German striker is one of the most sought-after players in Europe, with a series of football titans vying for his signature.
The 24-year-old was enjoying scintillating goal-scoring form before the worldwide lockdown. Werner had already registered 27 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for RB Leipzig this season.
Werner boasts of being a versatile attacker and can be deployed on the wings or upfront as a lone striker. He possesses blistering pace, is intelligent in his movement on the pitch and could be a great option for Spurs to consider once again.
However, the London giants would have to pay a sum of around £53 million to acquire his services and would have to fight off fellow Premier League clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United in the race for his signature. The fee would also mean that Tottenham Hotspur would have to flex some serious financial power to be able to get a deal over the line.
