Tottenham Still Need Another Striker Despite Imminent Gareth Bale Return

If Harry Kane was to leave Tottenham Hotspur today, he would go down as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Lilywhite shirt.

That alone shows the legacy he has already created at Spurs.

The journey from the scraps of cameo cup appearances to one of the world's best strikers is already a fairytale story - but there's potential for so much more.

Don't worry Spurs fans, Kane's not going anywhere just yet, but the club needs to maximise their potential while he's still on the books.

It doesn't get any worse as a Spurs fan when Kane limps off the pitch mid-season - it's as if all of the optimism surrounding the remainder of the campaign departs with him.

While Son Heung-min.and Lucas Moura have both been thrown in to fill the void left by the previously injured England captain, it takes both of the wingers away from their natural positions - besides, Moura has previously admitted he never enjoyed playing as a striker when asked to do so under Mauricio Pochettino.

Don't you think it would make sense to have another striker in the squad for when Kane inevitably picks up an injury? It seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?

Well, it seems like an obvious thing to do for any squad, but with an incredible forward like Kane, surely it would make you even more desperate to go and find a back-up for him?

This has been a pressing issue for years now, and if Spurs want to be serious in what is poised to be a decisive season with the club aiming for silverware, another striker has to be brought in.

A deal which would see Gareth Bale return to north London is edging closer, but don't let that distract you from the pressing issues that still remain.

While the majority of Spurs fans would leap at the chance to see Bale running down the flank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and teeing up goals for Kane, the Welshman shouldn't then be shifted into a central striker role if Kane picks up an injury.

It may work out in the Premier League, but Daniel Levy needs to open his chequebook and bring in a recognised striker.

Take Tottenham's upcoming fixture list, for example, and let's say Bale joins.

Jose Mourinho's team face trips to Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Leyton Orient in the coming weeks, with the Spurs boss confirming Kane will feature against the Bulgarian side in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.

That's the sign of a man trying to send a message to his boss.

The Portuguese manager has made no secret of his need for a second striker, and, quite frankly, who can blame him?

As good a player as Bale is, he has his own struggles with injuries, meaning the medical room at Hotspur Way could be busy.

The Welshman would also join as a first-team regular, so the same issue, even after signing Bale, would still remain - who will be the man leading the line when Spurs have to rotate to save Kane's ankles?

Despite Spurs fans turning their noses up at links with Troy Deeney, something is better than nothing. In all honesty, Tottenham need an alternative to Kane. Believe it or not, there are matches in which he doesn't play particularly well, and when that has happened, Spurs have lacked a Plan B. That's ignoring Fernando Llorente, by the way. For the few important goals he scored, his legs had deserted him by the time he arrived in north London.

Tottenham Hotspur Women secured the signing of USA striker Alex Morgan last week in what was a spectacular coup for the club, but it would need another striker through the Hotspur Way doors if Spurs want to be serious on all fronts.