Premier League: Spurs striker yet to hit 2014/15 peak

Harry Kane is getting more prolific as the season develops

Michael Lintorn makes the case as to why Harry Kane's goals won't be drying up any time soon...

Harry Kane was one of the most talked about players on transfer deadline day, and he didn't even need to participate in a move to generate all that attention, instead simply doing so by signing a new contract committing him to Tottenham until 2020.

How strange to think that a matter of months ago he was a nonentity. Now, he is Spurs' most successful, influential and popular performer at the age of 21, has got to 20 goals in all competitions before the end of January and is expected to make his England debut imminently.

Ten of the forward's strikes have come in the Premier League, a total that is bettered by only four rivals: Diego Costa (17), Sergio Aguero (14), Charlie Austin (13) and Alexis Sanchez (12). Kane is 3.052/1 to close the campaign as one of the division's top four scorers.

You might be discouraged from backing him at that price because he isn't currently in a payout position, but to take that stance is to ignore the fact that he is gaining on his adversaries every week.

Kane didn't start a Premier League game this term until November 9 - matchday 11 of the 23 to date. His first goal came just seven days prior to that, meaning that his entirely tally was constructed across just 61% of the fixtures completed so far. Over the full stretch, it would equate to 16 goals.

The White Hart Lane fan favourite has started seven league matches less than Sanchez, who is two goals ahead of him, and eight fewer than Austin, who is three in front, so he is netting at a superior rate to both.

As he is fully established in Mauricio Pochettino's side, starting every single top-flight encounter since breaking in that November day, he will overtake both if he maintains his present ratio.

The numbers tell the story. Six weeks into the season, Kane had no league goals. After 12, he had two. By 18, he was up to five. Following matchday 23, he is on ten.

Now that the academy product has undisputedly proven his quality, the belief fuelled by no longer having to worry about being judged every week and potentially dropped for more expensive recruits if he doesn't deliver has inspired his best form yet.

Kane will also benefit from Tottenham being so much more effective as a unit than they were when he broke into the team. They have won six, drawn one and lost one of their last eight in the league - their record read P15 W6 D3 L6 prior to that - and scored at least twice in six of those.

The squad is profiting from greater confidence, continuity and creativity than when Kane initially forced Pochettino to pick him. The number 18 was key to encouraging that improvement, and now stands to be the chief beneficiary.