Tottenham’s Harry Kane turns into Premier League’s third-highest objective scorer ever. When might he break Alan Shearer’s document?

Harry Kane moved into outright third on the all-time Premier League objective charts by scoring in Tottenham Hotspur‘s 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday.

The England captain’s fifth objective of the season moved him previous former Manchester United striker Andy Cole (187) on the listing of gamers with essentially the most targets scored for the reason that English prime flight grew to become the Premier League in 1992.

As such, Kane can now set his sights on the second-placed Wayne Rooney, who scored a complete 208 targets in 491 Premier League video games for Everton and Manchester United throughout his profession. Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer remains to be means out in entrance having topped the Premier League all-time scoring charts for 20 years along with his grand haul of 260 targets in 441 video games.

Nevertheless, Kane is the one energetic participant within the prime 10, that means that the prolific 29-year-old stands an excellent probability of breaking the document earlier than he hangs up his boots — actually, there is a distinct chance he may even go second within the all-time listing this season.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)

How did Kane get right here?

Kane has made 288 appearances within the Premier League up to now, with 285 of these coming for Spurs and the opposite three for Norwich City throughout a mortgage stint at Carrow Highway early in his profession.

He made his Premier League debut as an 18-year-old within the 2012-13 season, however solely made 4 appearances general in the course of the marketing campaign — one for Tottenham and three for Norwich. He then upped that to a few targets in 10 league appearances the next season earlier than firmly establishing himself as Spurs’ first-choice striker in 2014-15, at which level the targets started to return thick and quick.

From the beginning of the 2014-15 marketing campaign to the top of final time period, Kane averaged 23 Premier League targets a season. His highest league tally was 30 targets in 2017-18, and even his lowest complete was a superbly respectable 17 in each 2018-19 and 2021-22.

In that point, Kane has gained the Premier League Golden Boot award thrice (2015-16, 2016-17, 2020-21), in addition to incomes the Playmaker of the Season for the participant with essentially the most assists in 2020-21, proving he is nearly as artistic as he’s damaging.

Kane has additionally develop into Tottenham’s second all-time prime scorer in league soccer, overtaking 1960-61 Double winner Bobby Smith (176 targets in 271 video games) final season to maneuver behind solely the good Jimmy Greaves (220 targets in 321 video games) within the Spurs standings.

Together with Greaves and Smith, Kane can be the one different Spurs participant in historical past to attain greater than 200 targets for the membership in all competitions — Smith with 208 targets in 317 video games, Kane with 252 in 391, Greaves with 266 in 379. Rarified firm certainly.

Might Kane catch Rooney this season?

Kane is now poised a mere 20 targets behind Wayne Rooney within the Premier League scoring chart. Provided that the previous already has 5 targets in his first six video games of the 2022-23 marketing campaign, it seems to be merely a matter of time earlier than he surpasses his previous England strike companion.

Certainly, ought to he keep his strike charge this season, Kane would match Rooney’s Premier League tally of 208 targets in simply 24 video games’ time. As issues stand with the fixture listing, that might coincide with Tottenham’s journey to face Rooney’s boyhood membership Everton on April 1.

In fact there are more likely to be fluctuations in type to keep in mind, however all proof means that the 20 targets required to equal Rooney’s haul from this level is a superbly achievable goal for Kane.

With 5 targets already within the bag, the Spurs striker would wish to finish the 2022-23 marketing campaign with 25 league targets in complete to maneuver degree with Rooney — a tally he is beforehand reached on three events for Spurs. If he can keep match and his teammates maintain plying him with probabilities, there is no apparent motive why he could not attain these numbers once more.

When might Kane overtake Shearer?

Kane is creeping ever nearer to Shearer within the all-time rating however nonetheless finds himself with a 72-goal hole to shut down earlier than he attracts degree with the Premier League’s greatest-ever objective scorer.

Shearer scored 260 targets in 441 Premier League video games earlier than retiring on the age of 35 in 2006, though he did additionally hit the online 23 occasions within the previous First Division in his early days at Southampton earlier than becoming a member of Blackburn Rovers in 1992.

It might be some feat, however Kane has been averaging 23 Premier League targets per season since 2014-15. Which means simply three extra seasons of sustaining that charge would see him at the very least transfer to inside 10 targets or so of Shearer by the beginning of the 2025-26 season. Kane has time on his aspect, too, because the 29-year-old might play for six extra years earlier than reaching the age at which Shearer retired.

It is value noting that Kane instructions a barely greater goal-per-game ratio than Shearer within the Premier League (0.65 to 0.59), one other signal that he can realistically goal to say the document for himself if he chooses to not transfer overseas within the subsequent few years and stays match.

Let’s face it, he is most likely acquired extra probability of knocking Shearer off his perch than he has of successful the Premier League title with Tottenham.