KANE WE KEEP IGNORING IT? England have relied on Harry Kane for the best part of a decade, but with the striker into his 30s, the lack of replacement is worrying

England's alarming lack of Harry Kane successors is becoming an increasingly pressing concern ahead of the next World Cup.

Bayern Munich's

star striker admitted after England’s soul-crushing elimination to Argentina that it is “too early to say” whether he will be lining up in the tournament’s 100th anniversary.

Kane has spearheaded the Three Lions' major tournament success in recent years, notching six goals en route to picking up the Golden Boot in 2018 before netting the same number this summer with several crucial goals to keep England hopes alive.

However, he will be 36 when the next World Cup comes around and although he is likely to lead the line in the home Euros in two years, the tournament that follows could prove a step too far for the ex-Tottenham frontman.

The question is not who leads England now, but who does so when Kane no longer can.

Thomas Tuchel’s reluctance to utilise Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are a damning indictment of the drop in quality from Kane.

The former played six minutes as a substitute in England’s dead-rubber with Panama while Toney was thrown on in desperation in the dying embers against Argentina in search of a leveller.

The pair will be 34 at the next World Cup and despite impressing at club level, they have yet to emulate that success consistently in a Three Lions shirt and like Kane, may be past their best come 2030.

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Dominic Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are the two other strikers used by Tuchel in the past year but neither were deemed worthy of a spot on the plane to North America.

Liam Delap looked to be the heir to Kane’s throne after notching a standout 12 league goals in a relegated Ipswich Town side in 2024 which earned him a move to

Chelsea

. However, he is yet to find his feet and may seek pastures new this summer after a troubled campaign.

The only viable option at present would be a makeshift striker. Perhaps Anthony Gordon or

Marcus Rashford

, but

Jude Bellingham

in a more advanced position could be an exciting proposition.

England’s shining light this summer flourished higher up the pitch in his maiden campaign at

Real Madrid

, notching 23 goals and registering 13 assists, and could be an option come 2030. Nonetheless, deploying him up front would come at the expense of his invaluable influence in midfield.

The Under-21 side has provided the backbone of emerging talent at recent tournaments where the likes of Elliot Anderson and Jarell Quansah honed their craft.

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Eddie Nketiah was expected to follow that trend, shining in the youth side by becoming the record goalscorer with 16 and possessing the clinical finishing touch in front of goal. Called up in 2023, just five

Premier League

goals in two seasons since joining

Crystal Palace

have raised doubts over whether he can rediscover his best form.

And the current crop of fledgling talent in the striker department offers little cause for optimism.

Divin Mubama netted five Championship goals in his season-long loan at

Stoke City

last term while Will Lankshear impressed in a struggling Oxford United outfit with 12 goals to his name.

The

Tottenham

youngster seems the most viable young option and being integrated into Roberto de Zerbi’s new-look side is a possibility this season.

The likes of Romain Esse, Joel Ndala, Thomas Watson and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw were all part of Lee Carlsey’s latest squad and haven’t proved their credentials at club level but could be options for the future.

In essence, the stark reality is that England's striking options are so limited in the youth set-up at present that an ageing

Harry Kane

may still represent their best choice when they head to Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

A key argument to consider here though is that it is not uncommon for players who were previously nowhere near the international picture to suddenly emerge as leading figures.

Anderson is a prime example as the midfielder was on loan at Bristol Rovers in Sky Bet League One when England headed to Qatar in 2022. Djed Spence was struggling for minutes at Tottenham yet played a starring role this summer while the provider for the opener against Argentina, Morgan Rogers had just finished an unsuccessful loan stint at

Bournemouth

.

The lesson here is that while the strikers to replace Kane may not be apparent now, it could well be that a leading candidate comes to the fore out of the blue ahead of the next World Cup.

Nevertheless, the eventual replacement for England's all-time top goalscorer will have an enormous legacy to live up to and it is key to note Kane himself may feel he has one last World Cup in him.

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