Current Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has a huge array of talent currently at his disposal, but there’s no denying he wishes he could rely on striker Harry Kane.
The Englishman featured for the club’s first team over a decade-long spell, subsequently breaking all sorts of long-standing records in the process.
He scored 280 appearances for the Lilywhites, with such a tally making him the highest goalscorer in the history of the club - overtaking the late Jimmy Greaves in the process.
Kane also sits second in the Premier League charts for goals scored, with his tally of 213 only bettered by Alan Shearer - further highlighting his clinical edge in front of goal.
The Englishman would depart in an £82m deal to join Bayern Munich back in the summer of 2023, leaving the iconic number ten shirt vacant for one player to take over in recent years.
James Maddison’s struggles at Tottenham Hotspur
After Kane’s departure that summer, the Spurs hierarchy decided to fork out a fee in the region of £40m for the signature of attacking midfielder James Maddison from Leicester City.
In the two years since making the move to North London, the 28-year-old has registered 16 goals and 19 assists in his 75 appearances for the club - six of which came in their Europa League-winning campaign last year.
However, despite his fairly impressive tallies, his injury record has massively held him back at times, subsequently suffering three injuries before the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
He had already missed 24 games and 146 days' worth of action before Frank’s appointment, but the midfielder now also looks set to miss many more valuable matches after his latest setback.
He suffered an ACL tear in the pre-season clash with Newcastle United, with Maddison now expected to miss the vast majority of the Dane’s first season at the helm.
Such an injury is one of the worst a professional footballer can suffer, with it being unclear what level of performance the midfielder will be at upon his return to senior action.
However, he could be in danger of losing the number ten shirt in the near future, especially if one player can continue his excellent start to the new campaign.
The Spurs star who could steal the #10 from Maddison
Since Frank took the reins during the summer transfer window, he’s led Spurs to an impressive start to 2025/26, with the first-team only losing once across all competitions.
The Lilywhites have also claimed an opening day victory in the Champions League, subsequently making an impressive start to the manager’s tenure in North London.
Part of the success has mainly been down to the impact of the new additions made in the market, with midfielder Joao Palhinha registering the most tackles of any player in the Premier League to date.
However, at the top end of the pitch, Mohammed Kudus has also impressed after his summer move, already registering four assists in the Premier League during his first five encounters.
He joined the Lilywhites in a £55m deal from West Ham United, with such a deal raising eyebrows after his previous stint at one of the club’s London rivals.
His underlying stats are also just as impressive, completing 19 dribbles - at an average of 3.9 per 90 - further highlighting his impact with the ball at his feet.
Other tallies such as 2.3 chances created and 2.4 successful crosses per 90 this campaign, also indicate the domination he’s had over the opposition in the early stages of the year.
Kudus has also demonstrated his versatility, operating in central areas and also off the right-hand side - something which has made him a monster hit with the fanbase.
His early success in North London has already made him a fan favourite, with his tenure under Frank certainly getting off to one of the best possible starts.
Maddison’s injury issues have certainly halted his own progress, something which the Ghanaian will be hoping to avoid after his own impressive performances since his big-money move.
Should he continue in the same vein over the next couple of months, there’s no reason as to why the big-money summer signing can’t take the number ten shirt off the Englishman.
It could prove to be a harsh decision, but it may be one that is in the club’s best interest, with Kudus having all the tools to be the club’s best number ten since Kane’s departure.