England: Emile Heskey concerned where next Three Lions striker coming from

Just eight English strikers have appeared in the Premier League this season and 22-year-old Chelsea striker Liam Delap is the only one under the age of 26.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins performed well as deputy to Kane at Euro 2024, with his semi-final goal helping England reach the final.

However, he has been rested from this squad to manage an ongoing issue.

Rooney said: “We talk about how many games players are playing now. We had an opportunity where we don’t need to see Kane, and rest him.

“Kane shouldn’t play for England again until the World Cup. We don’t need to see him, we know what he can do.”

Both Rooney and Heskey feel the apparent lack of out-and-out number nines coming through is a sign of the way the game has gone, not just in England but globally.

“I just think it is purely because they don’t want to play number nines now with the way the game is,” Rooney said.

“If you look worldwide there’s not many number nines, so it is not just England.”

He added: “Everyone wants to be a Mo Salah or a Lionel Messi, and playing as a forward now you don’t touch the ball as much – and you have to be ruthless like Erling Haaland is and Kylian Mbappe.

“There are no number nines out there, even Kane isn’t an out and out nine.”

Heskey’s sons, Reigan and Jaden, are forwards themselves and made their first-team debuts for Manchester City in September, in the Carabao Cup.

Heskey, 47, added: “Forwards had to be so much more involved when we were playing. You’d have to chase things into the channel, you’d have to win the flick-ons.

“Now your two number eights are doing more, your wingers are quite wide, you don’t have to get involved as much now.”