Would Kane challenge Benzema & Lewandowski for Ballon d’Or outside of Tottenham? Ex-England striker Heskey has his say

• Three Lions captain waiting on first trophy
• One of the best finishers in the game
• Continues to see questions asked of future

WHAT HAPPENED? The England captain, who is readying himself for 2022 World Cup duty with the Three Lions, has spent his entire club career tied to Spurs and has found the target on 261 occasions for the Premier League heavyweights – with the 20-goal barrier broken in eight successive seasons. Kane is, however, yet to get his hands on a major honour with club and country, with that lack of success leaving him among the also-rans when it comes to the most prestigious of individual prizes.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking in association with Paddy Power, ex-England striker Heskey has told GOAL when asked if Kane would have been in contention for Golden Balls if he were playing for the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid: “If Harry Kane was playing for a club who competes for major honours every season, he’d be challenging the likes of Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski for Ballon d’Ors. Someone with his ability, who can score all types of goals on a regular basis. If Tottenham Hotspur were in the Champions League each season and the club was winning silverware, there is no question that he’d be winning individual trophies. The fact that he’s at a club who aren’t doing this every season, is holding him back in some respects. Harry Kane is playing at a top level, but the players around him aren’t.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: With Kane short on honours, the obvious question is whether he should start to consider making a move away from north London. Heskey is not convinced that the 29-year-old has reached a last-chance saloon just yet, adding on the transfer options available to him: “Harry Kane doesn’t need to move to a top club next season. The likes of Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are still playing at their age at the top level, doesn’t mean that Kane needs to move to a top club before he’s 30. With these guys keeping themselves fit, healthy and in the perfect shape, they’re able to continue demanding moves to big clubs with large salaries, as they know that clubs want them. If Kane does this, then he can be playing at the top level for many years to come.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Kane’s current contract at Tottenham is only due to run until 2024, meaning that, with Bundesliga champions Bayern said to be sniffing around, Spurs may face a big decision on their talismanic striker next summer if no extension to his terms can be agreed.