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Can Dominic Calvert-Lewin Become Everton' Harry Kane?

The striker is fortunate to be working with both Ancelotti and Ferguson who, between them, will positively refine elements of his game. Should the 23-year-old surpass the 20-goal mark this season, then he'll have undoubtedly put himself in the frame for a Euro 2020 call-up, as well as being in with a shout of winning the sought-after Golden Boot.

Following Carlo Ancelotti's appointment as the manager of Everton back in December 2019, the emergence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been one of the Premier League's most-talked-about stories. Few on Merseyside doubted that the 23-year-old had the talent to become a prolific top-flight goalscorer, but his work with Ancelotti and Duncan Ferguson has undoubtedly taken his game to the next level. So, let's take a look at whether the Sheffield-born striker could become the Toffees' version of Harry Kane.  

Breaking into the First Team 

During the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, Calvert-Lewin scored his first top-flight goal for the Blues in an empathic 4-0 win over Hull City. Although he would only feature 11 times that season, the six-foot-two attacker established himself as a first-team regular at the start of 2017-18. Although he played in numerous offensive positions, the former Sheffield United forward recorded two goals and five assists in 17 matches as a central striker, according to Transfermarkt.  

Calvert-Lewin would follow this up with an involvement in eight goals in 2018-19 and a personal record of 14 in 2019-20. Although his numbers aren't yet comparable to Kane — who found the net on 21 occasions during his first full Premier League season — there are distinct similarities between their playing styles. Much like old-school strikers, both have a high-level understanding of offensive positioning, which allows them to score close-range goals from inside the box. Calvert-Lewin's goalscoring heat map from Understat reflects this. It shows that, at the time of writing, only one of his 30 Premier League goals has come from outside the box. 

Much like Kane, Calvert-Lewin took advantage of his first-team opportunities to claim a regular starting spot. Along with their eye for goal, both possess a desire to work hard for their respective sides, refusing to shirk their defensive responsibilities. This is a crucial attribute for modern-day strikers, who are expected to contribute to various phases of play.  

International Rivalries Will Be Beneficial 

After his free-scoring start to the Premier League season, Calvert-Lewin was rewarded with an England call-up. He responded to the selection with a debut goal against Wales at Wembley. In many ways, this early international success will likely spur the 23-year-old on to add consistency to his game, particularly with the UEFA European Championships scheduled for 2021. If the striker can match Kane from a domestic standpoint, then he'll have a favourable chance of making Gareth Southgate's final squad for the competition.  

Moreover, Calvert-Lewin will have to outperform the likes of Danny Ings and Tammy Abraham, who will also have aspirations of being selected. As of October 14th, the Sheffield-born striker is among the favourites to win the Golden Boot come the end of the 2020-21 season, as he's currently priced at 33/5 with Lottoland, an Irish sportsbook, to clinch the award.  

Learning from the Best 

Regarding Calvert-Lewin's development, the striker is fortunate to be working with both Ancelotti and Ferguson who, between them, will positively refine elements of his game. Should the 23-year-old surpass the 20-goal mark this season, then he'll have undoubtedly put himself in the frame for a Euro 2020 call-up, as well as being in with a shout of winning the sought-after Golden Boot.

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