Spurs need dramatic progress or Kane is sure to look at rivals

AS Tottenham's form flounders, Harry Kane's future is increasingly becoming the club's elephant in the room.

- Dan Kilpatrick

Close call: Harry Kane, needing two goals to become Spurs' record scorer, saw this header saved by Aaron Ramsdale on Sunday

Kane's contract is up at the end of next season and, as things stands, it would be a surprise if he was rushing to agree a new deal.

The England captain has consistently made it clear that he is happy to stay at Spurs, provided the club is progressing and in a position to challenge for the major trophies he craves.

The stark reality, though, is that Spurs have gone backwards since finishing fourth last season, while head coach Antonio Conte recently admitted that his "challenge" is not to compete for the Premier League title or Champions League, but to build a "solid foundation" for the club to win future honours.

Kane is, in short, back where he started when he broke into the first team nine years ago: part of an imbalanced squad at the start of a new cycle, but now on the cusp of turning 30 and faced with an even more competitive Premier League landscape.