It was a record few thought could be broken.
But Alan Shearer's leading total of 260 Premier League goals scored looks in danger after Harry Kane committed his future to Tottenham Hotspur.
The striker's new six-year deal runs through to June 2024 and, if he maintains his phenomenal rate of goals, Kane would surpass Shearer's mark before that date.
🙌 ⚽️ 💙 @HKane: #OneOfOurOwn pic.twitter.com/r3oeWUONCE
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 9, 2018
With 108 Premier League goals at present, Kane is 152 shy of Shearer's total.
Kane has averaged 26 goals a season in his four full campaigns in the Spurs team. If the 24-year-old were to maintain that rate, he would end 2023/24 on 265 goals.
Of course, over the next six years Kane will need to avoid the long-term injuries that prevented Shearer from adding even more goals to his total.
But, on the other hand, the Spurs forward's scoring rate has improved with each season so he may reach the target even earlier.
Kane aim
"His 260 goals is an unbelievable achievement," Kane said last year of Shearer's mark.
"It's something I'd like to break but I've got a long way to go yet."
Shearer and Kane's goal tallies
| Shearer | Kane | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92/93 | 16 | 99/00 | 23 | 12/13 | 0 |
| 93/94 | 31 | 00/01 | 5 | 13/14 | 3 |
| 94/95 | 34 | 01/02 | 23 | 14/15 | 21 |
| 95/96 | 31 | 02/03 | 17 | 15/16 | 25 |
| 96/97 | 25 | 03/04 | 22 | 16/17 | 29 |
| 97/98 | 2 | 04/05 | 7 | 17/18 | 30 |
| 98/99 | 14 | 05/06 | 10 | ||