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Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with two big-name strikers in Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski, but there is one important difference which sets them apart.

Tottenham Hotspur have been without their record goalscorer for more than two years, and finding a player who comes close to matching his standards has been an impossible task.

Harry Kane is not just a brilliant striker, but one of the most complete players in the world. He does everything, from scoring goals, creating chances, and even chipping in with slide tackles and defensive contributions.

Even if all else is disregarded except for Kane’s goalscoring ability, Spurs have still failed to find an adequate replacement for the England captain. It should therefore come as no surprise that Kane is on Tottenham’s radar.

Harry Kane is not the only striker linked with Tottenham

According to IndyKaila, a mystery Premier League club, rumoured to be one of Spurs, Chelsea or Manchester United, have offered Robert Lewandowski a one-year contract.

The Barcelona frontman has often been compared with Kane, especially as he used to play for Bayern Munich. With 41 goals and seven assists in the 2020/21 Bundesliga, it is not hard to see why Lewandowski would be a brilliant signing for Tottenham.

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Even at the age of 37, the Poland international has already scored seven goals in nine La Liga appearances for Barcelona. This record might not be as good as Kane’s in Germany, but it is still superior to the current options available to Thomas Frank.

Which player should Spurs look to sign?

If Tottenham were to pull off the signing of either Kane or Lewandowski, it would be a huge statement of intent. Both are world-class strikers who have proven themselves at the highest level of European football.

Kane has the edge when it comes to all-around abilities, although it would be unfair to claim Lewandowski is nothing more than a goalscorer, as this is certainly not the case.

Ultimately, Kane is five years younger, and he already knows what it is like to be a member of the Tottenham first-team squad. He likely still has a few years left at the top of his game, whereas Lewandowski is nearing the end of his playing career.

Therefore, Kane would be the better signing, although whether the player himself wants a return to North London remains to be seen. This will become clearer further down the line, but for now, he seems quite settled at Bayern.

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to come out on top when they face Arsenal on Sunday evening in the first north London derby of the season.

Spurs remain without a win in their last six outings against the Gunners, which only adds to the pressure on Thomas Frank’s side to change the narrative.

Frank’s personal record against Arsenal is also not inspiring, as he has just the one win in nine games against Spurs’ rivals.

A victory on Sunday would give Tottenham bragging rights, and it would also reduce the eight-point gap between the two to five.

Spurs players must step up if they have any hope of earning a rare win at the Emirates, but there are three in particular who need to have great games in the derby.

Guglielmo Vicario needs a big derby performance

Guglielmo Vicario has been one of Tottenham’s best players this season. Of course, the Italian has had his bozo moments early on, but of late, he looks to have put it behind him.

Since the fixture against Leeds United before the October break, Vicario has looked unbeatable in goal for Tottenham.

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He was good against AS Monaco and Chelsea, just to name a few. Against the French side, he helped Spurs earn a point with several top saves, while against Chelsea, he helped keep the scoreline respectable.

Against Arsenal, he would be vital once more. Keeping Spurs in the game for as long as possible could go a long way in deciding this game if those up top take their chances.

Spurs need Xavi Simons to be creative against Arsenal

It is about time Simons put in a statement performance in a Tottenham shirt. One could count the number of good games he has had since his move, and for a 50 million pounds signing, that is rather disappointing.

There have been glimpses of his quality, but in a north London derby, glimpses would not be enough – he simply has to deliver.

Putting in a top display against Spurs’ bitter rival would be one statement performance, and if Frank opts to start the Dutchman, then he must go in with the mentality that he can make a difference here.

He would be crucial, especially against an Arsenal defence that is watertight. Breaking it down with intricate play and passes is exactly what would be required of the 22-year-old, who must step up and be ready for the physicality of this fixture.

Richarlison needs to be ruthless for Tottenham vs Arsenal

The last time Tottenham secured a victory against Arsenal was back in 2022, with Kane and Son on target for the Lilywhites. The players up top are often the ones who decide such games.

Spurs no longer have the quality of Kane and Son to save them, and now new players must step up.

Richarlison is most definitely going to be the one leading the line, given that Solanke is injured and Muani is also out. The Brazilian simply needs to take his chances and must stay competitive when up against Arsenal’s robust defence.

Chances will be hard to come by, and when they do, he needs to take them because with Arsenal, you do not get many.

Tottenham return to Premier League action with a trip to the Emirates Stadium, so we have put together a combined North London Derby XI from Spurs and Arsenal.

Tottenham and Arsenal combined XI selections

This combined Tottenham and Arsenal XI does not take into consideration players who are unavailable for Sunday evening’s game, so Gabriel and Tottenham’s seven to eight absentees are not included.

David Raya: Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario has been impressive in the last few weeks since the October break, and he has single-handedly won Spurs a few points this season. However, given Arsenal’s impressive defensive record and their run of eight games without conceding, Raya edges this one.

Jurrien Timber: Arsenal have looked really solid at the back all season without a doubt, but Timber down on the right offers a bit more than defensive solidity when it comes to one vs ones. He is a threat whether he is inverting, overlapping or even in the box for set plays, and he is a much better all-around player at the moment when compared with Pedro Porro.

Cristian Romero: At centre-back with Gabriel out injured, we have Cristian Romero coming into our team. He is a World Cup winner and a top passer of the ball with his direct passes that often help Spurs start off attacks, so he makes our team.

William Saliba: Pairing up with him is a top centre-back in his own right. Saliba has been a part of one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league for a couple of years, and we do believe the Frenchman would complement Romero quite well.

Micky van de Ven: Calafiori has been good for Arsenal, while Spence has also had his moments this season, but none of them have had a better season than van de Ven, who not only mops things up at the back with his blistering pace but also has goals in his game. With six this season, he takes up a spot at left-back, a position he has played in this season with the Dutch national team.

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Declan Rice: Rice gets into this team ahead of Bentancur, as the Englishman offers a lot more in both boxes. He is a proper box-to-box midfielder with a good strike on him as well as good deliveries from set pieces.

Zubimendi: Joao Palhinha has been a classy player for Tottenham this season, as he has held down that holding midfield spot quite brilliantly. However, Arsenal seem to have the right balance in the middle of the park with Rice and Zubimendi, who is a top midfield controller bringing something Palhinha does not have.

Mohammed Kudus: Kudus has done most of his damage on the right for Tottenham, but we would be moving him into the number ten position just behind the striker for a bit of creativity and flair, as Odegaard is injured and Eze has not performed at a top level this season.

Bukayo Saka: It has not been a season to write anything about for the Arsenal wide man. The truth is, the top area of the team for both sides has been quite poor; however, given his record in these derby matchups, he has a spot on the right.

Viktor Gyokeres: Not the biggest fan, but he is better than what Tottenham have at the top end of the pitch. Muani has not gotten into any rhythm because of injuries, Solanke is sidelined as well, while Richarlison has been inconsistent, so Gyokeres takes the number nine spot.

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Troy Parrott recently impressed with his sensational performances for the Republic of Ireland, but should Tottenham Hotspur consider the striker as a potential transfer target?

Parrott became the most talked-about player during the international break with his heroics for the Republic of Ireland.

It seemed almost impossible that Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team would reach the World Cup qualifying play-offs, with victories required against both Portugal and Hungary.

However, Parrott scored five goals across the two matches, which has seen his national team finish second in their qualifying group. As a result of this, his hopes of playing at the World Cup next summer have been kept alive.

Troy Parrott is no stranger to scoring goals

Troy Parrott is now the flavour of the month in Europe after his fine displays for Ireland, but he was banging in goals long before last week.

The ex-Tottenham forward has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances for AZ Alkmaar this season. To put this into context, Parrott has outscored every Spurs striker combined.

Prior to this, the 23-year-old found the net 31 times in the Eredivisie alone during his first two campaigns in the Netherlands.

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Parrott previously failed to impress in England

It is good to see Parrott has made it as a quality player after his chances at Tottenham Hotspur came few and far between. However, there is a reason why he was allowed to leave the club for a relatively low transfer fee.

Parrott was loaned out to four different EFL teams, but he failed to show much at any of them. His best spell was at MK Dons during the 2021/22 season, when he registered 10 goals and seven assists in 47 appearances. These may have been impressive numbers, but they were recorded in League One and Parrott never quite made the next step up the pyramid.

However, Troy Parrott was a teenager for most of these periods away from Spurs, and he has since developed into an accomplished goalscorer.

Should Tottenham look to re-sign Troy Parrott?

Parrott’s goalscoring record this season speaks for itself, but it is worth noting that seven of these efforts have come in Conference League qualifying. Having said this, he has six goals in seven league appearances and is now recording even better numbers for the Republic of Ireland.

You can only score against what is in front of you, and Parrott is doing an exceptional job of that. He may not be proven in the Premier League, but perhaps all he needs is another chance.

Tottenham have a sell-on clause in Parrott’s contract, and this could work in their favour, since they would only have to pay a percentage of the striker’s full transfer fee.

If Spurs can get a reasonable deal on Parrott, bringing him back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be a good move. However, with his electric form, it would be naive to assume that securing his signature would not come at a significant cost.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their pursuit of an exciting La Liga attacker Takefusa Kubo ahead of the January window.

It has been reported that Tottenham are prioritising signing a wide-forward in the January window, with the Lilywhites ready to spend big.

However, the North Londoners also have to solve their issue in the number ten role as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are out injured, while Xavi Simons is yet to showcase his best in a Spurs shirt.

It has thus been suggested over recent weeks that Tottenham are ready to ‘go all out’ for Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo, who can play on the flanks as well as centrally.

What is Takefusa Kubo thinking about Tottenham’s interest?

According to reports over recent days, Spurs would have to pay Kubo’s £52m release clause to land him in January.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now suggested that while the steep asking price may be prohibitive for Thomas Frank’s side, the Japanese international would be in favour of swapping Sociedad for N17 in January.

When asked about the speculation linking Kubo with a move to Spurs, O’Rourke told Football Insider: “The player himself could be interested in moving away because it’s not been the best of seasons for Real Sociedad in La Liga this year, and they have struggled more than they normally do.

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“They’re normally more competitive than they have been so far this season as well, and the player himself could be finally interested in making that move to the Premier League.

“I think with the price tag involved, that £52m, it could be an expensive deal to do in January. He’s a top player, Kubo, capable of playing on both flanks.

“He would definitely add something to that Tottenham attack as well. He can play left side or right side, and he definitely has a goal in him as well. So, he would tick a lot of boxes for Tottenham for what they’re looking in January, but I just think the price tag could make any deal prohibitive.”

Spurs face competition from Premier League rivals for Kubo

The Lilywhites are not the only English club eyeing a move for the former Real Madrid man ahead of the January window.

It has been reported that Tottenham could face competition from Liverpool and Aston Villa for Kubo’s signature.

A deal for the 24-year-old thus appears anything but straightforward for the Lilywhites, given the high fee involved and the growing interest in his services.

Tottenham Hotspur now have competition to contend with from Man United and Atletico Madrid in the race for a young Danish starlet.

Creativity in the middle of the park has been an issue for Thomas Frank’s men this season, partly down to the injury absence of both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

That is perhaps why Tottenham showed an interest in Danish midfielder sensation Victor Froholdt in the summer, but it was Porto who won the race for the 20-year-old.

It has emerged over recent weeks that Spurs are ready to make an offer to sign Froholdt from Porto in January, just six months after his move from Copenhagen to the Portuguese club, but the Lilywhites are expected to have plenty of competition for the midfielder.

Tottenham will have to fight to sign Victor Froholdt

It is now being reported by Fichajes that the interest in the Denmark international is intensifying as he continues his good form for both club and country.

It is revealed that Atletico Madrid are at the front of the queue to land Froholdt, with Diego Simeone a big fan of the youngster.

Although the midfielder’s release clause at Porto stands at €85m (£75m), the Spanish side are thought to be confident of signing the youngster for a much lower fee.

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Additionally, the report claims that Man United have also registered an interest in Froholdt after positive reports about the youngster by their scouts.

The Red Devils are keen on rebuilding their midfield, and they believe that the Porto man could be ‘the cornerstone of their new project’.

What is Porto’s stance on Froholdt?

Fichajes say that Porto acknowledge that there is ‘genuine’ interest in their midfield starlet, but they remain adamant that they will not negotiate unless ‘a substantial offer’ is made.

As things stand, the Portuguese giants are said to be confident of retaining Froholdt for at least another year.

The outlet adds that the competition for the midfielder is expected to get even fiercer, with other European clubs expected to enter the race for the youngster over the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur fans will feel a slight sense of unease going into the north London derby, with Thomas Frank’s record against Arsenal being far from reassuring ahead of Sunday’s clash.

Tottenham Hotspur would be hoping to get a win over their fiercest rivals, Arsenal, when the two sides lock horns on Sunday evening.

Spurs come into this league fixture off the back of a 2-2 draw against Manchester United, an encounter they looked set to win after coming from behind to lead 2-1, only for a late De Ligt header to ensure the spoils were shared.

Frank has had a balanced record against the bigger sides this season, with the Dane managing a win against City, a defeat to Chelsea and a draw with Manchester United.

Thomas Frank’s record against Arsenal ahead of the North London derby

Tottenham fans have not been too pleased with some of the performances on display by Frank’s side in recent games.

Supporters booed the Tottenham players and the manager at full-time in the game against Chelsea, and booed Frank once more against United when he opted to sub off Xavi Simons for Mathys Tel as Tottenham were chasing the game.

There clearly is a bit of a rift between Thomas Frank and Spurs supporters, but should he secure victory against Arsenal at the weekend, all could be forgotten.

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However, the Dane’s record against the Gunners is not going to inspire confidence in the Lilywhite faithful.

During his time at Brentford, Thomas Frank came up against Arsenal nine times, and he managed just one win. Two ended in draws, while six were defeats at the hands of the Gunners.

Of course, Arsenal were the better side when compared with Brentford, but Frank would be hoping that performances with Tottenham would be much better.

Tottenham form, Arsenal record and what it means for Frank

Frank did secure a victory with Tottenham against Arsenal when the two sides met in pre-season on their tour of Asia.

However, when it comes to competitive action, one would have to go back to the 21/22 season for the last time Spurs secured a victory over Arsenal.

In fact, Tottenham’s record away from home against the Gunners also makes for grim reading, with Tottenham not securing a victory at the Emirates in their last ten outings, with their last win coming in the 2010/11 season.

It would not be an easy ask for Frank and his side to secure a victory on Sunday evening, but with this being the biggest game for Tottenham, the Dane would have to find a way to stay competitive.

Jermaine Jenas has predicted whether Tottenham can continue their impressive away form against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

While the Lilywhites are winless at home since the opening league game of the season, Tottenham boast the best away record in the Premier League this season.

However, unfortunately, that is the only positive omen for the Lilywhites heading into Sunday’s fixture.

Spurs have not won at the Emirates in the Premier League for 15 years, and they take on an Arsenal side who have been nearly invincible on their home turf of late.

Jermaine Jenas makes confident prediction ahead of Arsenal v Tottenham

Thierry Henry has said he expects Arsenal to win against Spurs, while another former Gunners legend, Alan Smith, has also not given Tottenham any chance of getting a result.

Former Spurs man, Jermaine Jenas, agrees with the pair, with the pundit expecting Thomas Frank’s men to get beaten on Sunday despite their impressive away record.

Jenas, who was part of the last Tottenham team to win a Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium in 2010, said on The Wildcards Podcast: “I fully expect Arsenal to win, unfortunately. I just think, look, Spurs are better away from home at the minute, currently, and I think they could cause Arsenal a few issues. But I just do not think they are playing well enough.”

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Arsenal will have key players fit for the North London derby

Spurs have an extremely bloated injury list ahead of the North London derby, but things are looking much rosier for their rivals.

It emerged last week that Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are in contention to play for Tottenham.