What Happened to the Two Arsenal Prospects Once Rated Above Harry Kane?
Harry Kane has established himself as one of the greatest goalscorers in English football history, but Arsenal once allowed the Bayern Munich striker to leave their academy as a young boy.
The England captain continues to deliver remarkable performances for club and country and is among the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. However, his journey to the top could have looked very different.
Kane was released by Arsenal’s academy in 2002, aged just eight, after being considered slightly overweight and lacking athleticism.
Former Arsenal academy director Liam Brady admitted in 2018 that the club had made a mistake in letting him go. He also praised Kane’s determination, explaining how the striker overcame setbacks and developed into an elite goalscorer.
At the time, Arsenal believed they had more promising young forwards in Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke, who were ahead of Kane in the youth setup.
However, neither player went on to achieve the same level of success as the England international.
Afobe spent 15 years at Arsenal before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2015 for a reported £2 million, but he never made a competitive first-team appearance for the Gunners.
He later played for several clubs, including Wolves, where he scored 29 goals in 64 appearances across his spells with the club. After leaving English football in 2023, Afobe continued his career abroad and now plays for Al-Arabi in the UAE.
Aneke also struggled to fulfil his early promise at Arsenal and never featured for the senior team. Following loan spells, he left the club in 2014 and continued his career with teams including MK Dons, Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City.
After scoring more than 100 career goals, Aneke retired from professional football in 2026 at the age of 33. He has since moved into scouting and analysis with Shrewsbury Town.
Looking back, Arsenal’s decision to release Kane stands as a significant missed opportunity. While Afobe and Aneke showed promise during their youth careers, Kane went on to become England’s record goalscorer and one of the most prolific forwards of his generation.
