Mauricio Pochettino says that there is still room for Harry Kane to improve but is keen to ease comparisons between the star striker and Ballon d’Or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The 24-year-old, who scored his first Champions League hat-trick – and the ninth of his Spurs career – in their win over Apoel Nicosia on Tuesday, has been held alongside the Liga greats by pundits and former players.
While Pochettino hails him as one of the best in the world, he knows there is more to come from his No.10.
"Harry Kane is so young, for he is the one of the best today and one of the best in the world,” he said.
"He can be better because he is young, he can improve because he is as professional. There is a gap to improve.
"All the praise and words I can use to describe him, I cannot find any more.”
However, despite regarding the England international so highly, Pochettino says Ronaldo and Messi are on another level, while also admitting that it is hard to define who is the best striker in the Premier League given that managers will be biased towards their own players.
He said: “I never said he is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, this is a good opportunity to clarify.
In Pictures | APOEL vs Tottenham | 26/09/2017
"Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are on a different level, they have shown this over the last five-ten years.
"We cannot put such pressure on Harry. He is a striker, a killer, but completely different.
"If you ask Antonio Conte, he will say Alvaro Morata is the best. Pep Guardiola will say Sergio Aguero or Gabriel Jesus, Jose will say it is Romelu Lukaku.
"Harry Kane is one of the best and in that level of players who score a lot of goals each week. It is difficult to say who is the best.”
