text: Tim Sherwood has warned Tottenham Hotspur to keep pace with Harry Kane’s rapid rise or the England striker might one day be too big for the club. On the eve of taking Aston Villa to White Hart Lane, Sherwood insisted his former club must improve at a similar rate or risk losing their academy star. Kane was handed his first Premier League start for Spurs by Sherwood 12 months ago and has taken the top-flight by storm this season, scoring 29 goals in all competitions. He penned a new five-and-a-half year contract at Spurs in February before scoring 78 seconds into his England debut last month. Tim Sherwood believes Tottenham need to keep pace with Harry Kane's progression or risk losing him . Kane has scored 29 goals so far this season and also netted on his England debut in March . Villa striker Christian Benteke scored a hat trick in the 3-3 draw with Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday . ‘I wouldn’t want to put a price on him, they wouldn’t want to sell,’ said Sherwood. ‘He’d be a commodity now for the club, he has earned that right through his performances this season. ‘He needs to continue to do that for a number of seasons and perhaps he will be outgrowing that football club. ‘Not at the moment, he has a long way to go before he outgrows a club the size of Tottenham. For their sake they need to keep hold of him. ‘I have communicated with him since I’ve left, just to wish him well when he’s played for England and congratulate him on his call-ups.’ Sherwood joked that he would be the first to try to tempt Kane away from Spurs by bidding in the summer but said the form of Christian Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor would keep out the 21-year-old. ‘With Christian banging the goals in and Gabby playing like he is I haven’t got room for Harry!’ he laughed. Benteke has scored seven goals in his last five games and has a decision to make on his future once the season is over. Two years ago he handed in a transfer request to try to get a move to Tottenham and Sherwood admitted there was interest. He said it would be his dream to partner Benteke and Kane together. ‘I’d want them both,’ he said when asked which striker he would choose. Sherwood also praised the form of Benteke's strike partner, Gabriel Agbonlahor (right) Sherwood believes Benteke's upturn in form is a result of improved service for the Belgium striker . Benteke will look to continue his scoring form for Villa when they take on Tottenham and Kane on Saturday . Sherwood said Benteke’s improved form, having only scored three times before Villa sacked Paul Lambert, was down to the medicine of greater service. ‘Do you think he was starved of service? It’s like a little bit of medicine. If people keep throwing it down your throat all of a sudden you feel better and you feel more about yourself and that’s where I think he is now. ‘He knows if he gets chances he’ll score. He’s just proved that. He’s a prolific goalscorer, he’s a one in two striker.’
target: Harry Kane has 29 goals for Tottenham this season and played for England .
  Tim Sherwood says Tottenham may lose him if they don't improve as fast .
  Sherwood said Christian Benteke has found form through greater service .