Harry Kane will enter final year of Spurs contract at end of season and talks over extending at the club are currently on ice; Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag wants a forward recruited as early as possible and his ideal scenario is to have new signings in place for the bulk of pre-season
Sunday 30 April 2023 20:26, UK
Harry Kane would need to drive any exit from Tottenham with the club maintaining the striker is not for sale, despite him approaching the final year of his contract as Manchester United target his signature.
There is growing concern at Spurs that their record goalscorer will not sign fresh terms amid the turbulence engulfing the club following the World Cup.
Ryan Mason has become Tottenham's second caretaker manager in less than a month after the sacking of Cristian Stellini, who stepped in when Antonio Conte was relieved of his duties in March.
Amid the upheaval in the dugout, Fabio Paratici resigned as managing director of football after losing an appeal in Italy against his 30-month ban from the game.
The situation has encouraged Kane's suitors, with United chief among them but the Old Trafford side will not enter a war of attrition with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
His stance is England's captain is not on the market this summer regardless of whether he agrees a new deal or where Tottenham finish in the league.
It is well established that United are long-term admirers of Kane and recruiting a top forward is their priority for the summer.
As previously reported by Sky Sports, they would "absolutely explore a deal" if everything aligned and Spurs switched from obstinate to being open to business. However, there is no appetite for a drawn-out transfer saga in such an important position.
Manager Erik ten Hag wants a forward recruited as early as possible and his ideal scenario is to have new signings in place for the bulk of pre-season.
As such, United have cast a wide net over possible options, with Victor Osimhen, Goncalo Ramos, Lautaro Martinez, Dusan Vlhaovic and Mohammed Kudus among those being assessed.
Given the stance of both Tottenham and United, the onus would be on Kane to smooth a departure if that is what he desires.
His ambition to mesh his goalscoring records with silverware remains as strong as ever. Levy insists that can still happen at Spurs but also underscored the appeal of being a club legend.
During a recent discussion at The Cambridge Union Society, Levy said: "He can absolutely win a trophy at Spurs, but being a legend is also important.
"The fact that he's the top scorer for Tottenham Hotspur, he's making history. I hope one day there is a statue of Harry Kane outside our stadium."
Following the 6-1 defeat at Newcastle, Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp asked former Tottenham full-back Danny Rose about Kane's future.
"There's only been a few times where I've seen him lose it, and it wouldn't surprise me if today was one of those days. For me, I can imagine him being sat there, as everybody in football does, thinking 'I deserve better than this'. I just hope he gets it if I'm being honest."
Kieron Dyer added: "Alan Shearer has a statue outside the stadium at Newcastle which probably means more to him than trophies, being a local lad.
"But after seeing that today, thinking of how Tottenham is run with the manager situation, I could totally understand why Harry Kane would want to leave the football club.
"It's sad to say that for Tottenham fans, but he deserves better than what's been offered at the moment."
But is it Kane's choice?
"I think it is," responded Rose. "I 100 per cent think it is now. He's got one year left on his contract. He could leave for free next year. Him being 30-31 next year, anyone will still take him. Harry's got all the power, and he deserves all the power for what he's done for the club.
"For me, it's right in his hands and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens. It depends who may be interested in him.
"For me, it would have been a dream had he gone to Manchester City a couple of seasons ago, but that's probably impossible now. I don't want to see him go abroad.
"I'm a Man Utd fan, so I'd love to see him there, but I'm not sure if they're good enough for him at the moment."
April 27: Man Utd (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8.15pm
April 30: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 6: Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Aston Villa (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Brentford (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
May 28: Leeds (A) - Premier League, kick off 4.30pm
