The 6th October 2026 is a date that will forever be etched in the memory of Tottenham Hotspur legend Harry Kane.

As he walked out to captain England in their 3-0 win over Czechia on Tuesday night, he became the joint-record appearance maker for England alongside goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

In classic Kane fashion, he capped off the night by scoring twice to take him to 91 international goals. The Three Lions have never had a greater goalscorer. Neither have Spurs.

His legacy at Tottenham is growing as a result, but his form since leaving for Bayern Munich in 2023 is not the only reason.

Why Kane's Spurs legacy is greater than ever

After heading to Bayern, Kane has cemented himself as one of the best strikers in football history.

If you thought he was good at Spurs, he's entered another stratosphere in Germany. The 33-year-old has bagged 152 goals in 154 goals for the Bundesliga winners and he's now among the favourites for the Ballon d'Or.

Sadly for Tottenham, it is no coincidence that Kane's exit has coincided with an almighty plight.

Sure, Ange Postecoglou guided the Lilywhites to Europa League glory in 2025, but from the moment the great centre-forward left north London behind, they have struggled significantly on the domestic stage.

They have finished 17th in consecutive seasons and they are now bottom of the Premier League during the international break. No matter the manager, the matter the crop of players, no matter the striker selected to replace Kane, they have not found a remedy to their problems.

So, the legacy that Kane left behind is now arguably even greater. Tottenham were not quite a one-man band with him at the top end of the pitch, but the lengths to which they have struggled after his departure speak volumes.

If there was ever any doubt, he is the greatest player in their history.

Because of that, replacing him was never going to be an easy task. However, it's not all doom and gloom. One of the best players in the world is trying his best to hammer through the rubble of a disastrous few years.

How £90m Spurs star has become their finest player since Kane

Given Kane scored 280 goals in Tottenham colours, replacing him was an impossible task.

Dominic Solanke has attracted criticism, but you do have to feel a bit for him. Compared to Kane, he was always going to look insignificant.

So, if Spurs cannot emulate Kane's greatness in the forward line, how can they do it elsewhere? Well, over the summer, they signed Sandro Tonali, regarded as one of Europe's premier midfielders.

They also have a certain Micky van de Ven in their ranks. Signed for £34m fee during the era of Postecoglou and Daniel Levy, it has been an inspired piece of business, and it would not be a stretch to suggest that he has now become Tottenham's best player since Kane.

In truth, that isn't hard, but it's high praise for the Dutchman nonetheless. In the words of manager De Zerbi, the defender is now "one of the best centre-backs in Europe."

How? Well, he is just such a unique profile. Call him the Kane of the defensive world, if you will. A natural leader, much like Kane, it was no surprise to see him handed the official captaincy when Cristian Romero exited for Atletico Madrid.

He's the best player in the team, and despite Tottenham's woes, Van de Ven has remained a consistent figure. Last season, he ranked among the top 9% of centre-backs in Europe for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes. He's such a threat, such a menace in the final third.

His speed is ridiculous too. Remember that assist against Manchester United back in early 2025? It was like watching Gareth Bale destroy Maicon all over again.

That ability to burst past any player in world football serves him exceptionally well when it comes to recovering the ball and sniffing out the danger.

In the Premier League this season, he has the best pass completion rate of any player (96.7%), while only seven centre-backs have completed more passes per match across the entire season (72.5).

This is a player who is extremely durable too. Players have been dropped like flies to injury over the last two years but the Netherlands international has been particularly reliable. He started 35 of the 36 league fixtures he was available for in 2025/26.

With his ankle injuries, that's not even a level of durability that Kane could muster at stages during his Tottenham career.

If we're honest, it doesn't take much to stand out at Spurs right now, such is their plight. However, Van de Ven, with his leadership, consistency and profile, is certainly the most unique player they've had since Kane left.

A big sale may also beckon. Now rated at £90m amid interest from other clubs, he's worth even more than Tottenham's record goalscorer. Aged 33 and into the later stages of his contract in Munich, Kane is now worth around £51m according to Transfermarkt.

Still, it speaks volumes about Van de Ven. He's been an exceptional signing with his value soaring 164%. Levy and Co really struck gold here.