Tottenham Hotspur have kicked the rumour mill into overdrive with the sale of Harry Kane, as every outlet seeks to predict who will be the man chosen to replace the England captain…
Who will replace Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur?
With options ranging from young and hungry upstarts to experienced and ageing stalwarts, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou certainly has his pick of the bunch going into this new season.
Having seen his transfer war chest likely replenished, and a squad already bolstered by his earlier additions, the Lilywhites could look decidedly different come the start of September under their new manager.
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Especially if they are to opt for the latter of those two groups, with Romelu Lukaku one touted name that refuses to disappear this week, given his current exile from both his parent club Chelsea and Italian football.
The north London outfit could offer him a lifeline, although the 30-year-old hardly aligns with the fast-paced philosophy that the new manager is seeking to employ.
FootballTransfers value the Belgium international at just €38.3m (£33m), which could actually represent better value than another striker signed by their rivals this window.
How good is Romelu Lukaku?
With a glittering CV worthy of the illustrious clubs he has frequented, the former Everton star has earned a bit of a reputation as something of a journeyman. After all, he has accumulated the second-highest combined transfer fee across his various moves.
Once one of the Premier League's most feared forwards, his stock has fallen dramatically with his recent return to Stamford Bridge which saw him swiftly shipped back out on loan to Inter Milan.
However, there likely remains a top player still inside, as he still scored 87 goals in 166 games for the Toffees, 78 goals in 132 games for the Nerazzurri, and 42 goals in 96 games for Manchester United, via Transfermarkt.
It was only a few years ago that Scott McTominay even suggested he was a "world-class striker" too, with his form in front of goal branded "deadly".
Should Postecoglou settle on Lukaku as the man to spearhead his new-look side in the absence of Kane, then understandably comparisons would be made to Rasmus Hojliund, who is the other big-name no.9 to have joined one of the traditional 'top six' sides this summer.
Welcomed to Old Trafford in a £72m move, there is understandably plenty of pressure on the shoulders of the young Denmark international.
However, all the figures from last season suggest that he would struggle even to surpass the ageing marksman, who upstaged him on his return to Serie A.
In what was just a one-year loan return to the San Siro, Belgium's all-time top scorer posted ten league strikes and assisted a further six, even aiding their historic run to the Champions League final with four goal contributions in eight games.
Meanwhile, Hojlund could only manage nine goals and four assists across seven additional games in Serie A, with what he might offer to Erik ten Hag's system clearly preferred to someone with more proficiency.
Not only this but his average rating in the league was bested (6.73 v 7.09), as was his goal conversion rate (17% v 20%) and key passes made per game (0.8 v 1.3).
Despite FBref seeking to emphasise comparisons between the two, placing the former Atalanta ace atop Lukaku's 'similar players' list, it seems that there remains a gulf in quality likely enforced by their difference in experience.
There is every reason to believe that the youngster will one day surpass the hulking forward, but for now, the latter would certainly mark an upgrade who is more likely to be an instant hit.
