Harry Kane isn’t going to usurp Wayne Rooney as England’s leading man just yet. But his elevation to the senior squad could launch a compelling Spurs versus Arsenal battle in the approach to next year’s European Championships in France
If Tottenham’s Kane is to claim a regular place in Roy Hodgson’s team – and how it will please the masses to see a big, bustling striker who looks like he’s from the old school in the senior team’s shirt - he will, on current international form, have to usurp Arsenal’s Welbeck rather than Daniel Sturridge.
Rooney has been the dominant goal-scoring force for England in this season of recovery after the World Cup, scoring six times.
All the over-heated talk about whether he deserves his position in the side – and as captain – is destroyed by the statistics.
Meanwhile, Welbeck has made himself Rooney’s natural support act this season even though he has struggled to hit the target often enough for Arsene Wenger.
He has scored four times for Hodgson in this campaign – finding the net twice to seize an important win in Switzerland last September and again hitting two in another qualifier against Slovenia in November.
That makes him an oddity – albeit a valuable one for the England coach.
The big question now, after all, about Kane is whether his stunning club form will transfer to the more rarefied and demanding international game, which I believe it will.
Welbeck, 23, struggles for goals in club football. He has managed only eight since his £16 million move from Manchester United, and often lacks composure at the most critical moments.
Yet he delivers the goods for his country – twice in critical qualifying games this season. And that goes against the perceived wisdom that there are plenty of forwards who can be prolific in our robust domestic game, but who lack the extra technical and tactical know-how to make the big step-up.
To my mind, Kane at 21 seems the better long term bet. He may look old school but he is a very modern player.
There is much more to his game than simply being a target man. He also displays a fine sense of awareness and an intelligent touch and vision when playing deep. Comparisons have been made with a former Tottenham idol, Teddy Sheringham.
A tough intelligence underpinned Sheringham’s game. Kane can’t show that yet at such a tender age. But he shows the same innate level of confidence.
Since Liverpool’s Sturridge returned from a five-month injury break Brendan Rodgers team have hit a rich vein of form, although he has scored only twice in 12 club appearances.
Yet somehow, Sturridge - who has scored five times in 16 international appearances - has never fully convinced me on that stage, even though those statistics represent a reasonable return internationally.
Like Welbeck, he has sometimes appeared rushed playing for his country.
None of this has damaged the perception that Hodgson has a deep pool of talent up front from which to choose.
Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Saido Berhaino are also on his radar, as will be Andy Carroll if he ever escapes his perpetual injury problems.
Yet even though the qualifier against Lithuania and the friendly in Italy are not-do-or die occasions, Hodgson actually needs Kane’s stunningly prolific form right now.
Only three players other than Rooney and Welbeck have scored for England this season.
Two of them, Tottenham’s Andros Townsend and Phil Jagielka, found the net in the 5-0 “gimme,” win at home against San Marino, when England also benefitted from an own goal.
The other, Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored against Scotland, is currently injured.
These facts –along with several others - trump any concerns about whether Kane should be kept out of the senior squad now to preserve him for the summer’s European Under 21 championships.
There comes a point when form it simply cannot be argued with, no matter what lies ahead in the coming months.
Hodgson is hardly going to flog Kane senseless, anyway in what will be an untesting qualifier and a low-key kick about against the Italians.
But a full international cap or two will provide more tangible evidence for Kane of what he can achieve and how his hard work is paying off.
At his age, even with a frantic Premier League run-in to come in, it should still leave him champing at the bit for the summer tournament.
If his form continues, he will simply want to play as much as possible. And there is time for a short break after the end of the season and Spurs’ trip to Australia, anyway.
With 26 goals, Kane is the third highest goalscorer in European football in all competitions.
Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more.
Enough said. Now watch Harry go.
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