Where Are the Two Strikers Arsenal Picked Over Harry Kane Now?

· GiveMeSport

Harry Kane is England's greatest-ever goalscorer, but Arsenal released him as they felt two strikers had more potential.

The Bayern Munich forward is one of the hot favourites to scoop the award that's handed to the best player in world football. Michael Owen was the last Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or , all the way back in 2001.

But Kane simply refuses to stop scoring goals. Whether it's for his club or country, the former Tottenham superstar is perhaps the most efficient player on the planet.

Now in his 30s, Kane is finally getting the respect across world football that he deserves. But that hasn't always been the case. As a youth player, he was released by the Arsenal academy at just eight years old.

It would've been impossible to predict that Kane would break Wayne Rooney's goalscoring record for England , as he closes in on 100 international strikes, at such a young age.

However, it goes to show how far hard work and dedication can take a footballer along their journey. Kane was released by the Arsenal academy in 2002 because he was 'a bit chubby' .

Speaking in 2018, while Kane was smashing in goals for north London rivals Tottenham , ex-Arsenal academy director Liam Brady explained: "He was a bit chubby, he wasn't very athletic, but we made a mistake."

He then pointed out that it took several unsuccessful loan spells at lower league clubs before the striker got his break at White Hart Lane.

"But Tottenham sent him out on loan to lower-division clubs three or four times as well," Brady added. "But through his determination, he has carved out an amazing career and he deserves it. He has a character that drives him to improve all the time."

The Gunners weren't too gutted to be letting Kane go at the time, because they felt they had two bigger prospects on their hands. Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke were keeping the England record goalscorer out of the youth team.

After spending 15 years with the club, Afobe was sold to Wolves for just £2 million in 2015. The forward never managed to make his mark, failing to make a competitive first-team appearance.

He had embarked on multiple loan spells before being sold permanently. What has followed is a journeyman career, in which Afobe has represented nine different clubs since leaving the Emirates.

His time at Wolves, across two permanent and one loan spell, saw Afobe score 29 goals in 64 appearances. The striker left England in 2023, finding it easier to grieve the death of his two-year-old daughter Amora. Afobe now represents Al-Arabi in the UAE.

Aneke, meanwhile, has had a similar career path. Despite being a highly-rated talent in the youth ranks, he never made it onto the pitch for the Gunners' first-team.

The London-born prospect was released by the north Londoners in 2014 after loan stints in the EFL. Aneke initially went to Belgium to play for Zulte Waregem, before returning to England with MK Dons.

He managed just over 100 career goals while representing the likes of Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City before hanging up his boots in 2026, aged 33. Aneke is now in a scouting and analytical role for his last club, Shrewsbury Town.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt . Correct as of 10-10-26.

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