The day Tottenham fans have been dreading has arrived, as Harry Kane has reportedly told the north London club he wants to leave this summer.
Ladies and gents, the transfer saga of the summer is here.
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Kane, 27, has been at Tottenham his entire career after coming through their academy and spending plenty of stints out on loan, as the latest report suggests that he believes he has a gentleman’s agreement with the club to leave this summer.
Various reports state that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will not sell Kane, while a report from the Guardian says that Manchester City are planning to open talks over a $170 million move for Kane.
The England national team captain has been on fire this season for Spurs despite their struggles as a team, as he leads the Premier League in goals (22) and assists (13).
According to our partners in the UK at Sky Sports, Kane has told Tottenham (once again) he wants to move on this summer and the big news here is that Levy has actually started to make enquiries about a replacement for the star striker.
Tottenham issued a brief statement saying: “We have a season to finish and we want to finish it as strongly as possible. That’s all we are focused on.”
Here are more details from our partners at Sky on the current situation:
“Harry Kane has again told Tottenham he wants to leave this summer. Spurs are now making enquiries about replacement centre-forwards, in the first indication that the club are willing to consider the feelings of their 27-year-old talisman.
“They do not want to sell their prized asset, but Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been in touch with Kane’s representatives CK66 expressing a desire to sign the England international.”
As for Tottenham’s interim boss Ryan Mason, who is a close friend of Kane as they came through the academy at Spurs together, he told reporters this when asked if Kane has asked to leave.
“Not that I am aware,” Mason said. “The conversations I have had with Harry have been about the game the other day and also preparing for the game tomorrow. I don’t know.”
Where could Harry Kane go?
Seeing Kane at any other Premier League club would be weird, but you have to say that Manchester City will be the frontrunners.
Given his allegiance to Tottenham, moving to Chelsea would surely be tough for Spurs, and Kane, to sanction.
Heading to Manchester City would make the most sense as Sergio Aguero is moving on this summer, Gabriel Jesus is yet to fully stand up as the heir apparent and Pep Guardiola has played most of this season without a recognized striker and City still dominated the Premier League.
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Imagine Kane linking up with Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden et al. for the next few years?
City would win everything.
Manchester United would also be a good fit for him with their style of play, but you get the sense that City are the only club that Kane would leave Tottenham for.
City are also perhaps the only club who can afford him, as Kane has three years left on his current contract and you have to think that Spurs will ask for well over $150 million for the heart and soul of their team.
Can you blame Kane?
No. You can’t. He’s probably stayed two or three seasons longer than he should have out of loyalty, and even if he leaves this summer he will go down as a Spurs legend. He’s scored 220 goals in 334 games for Spurs and has been the focal point of their team for the last seven seasons.
But now seems like the right time to depart.
After reaching multiple cup finals with Tottenham and leading them to multiple top four finishes, two straight seasons out of the Champions League will not do for a player of Kane’s caliber. Nor will not winning a major trophy.
He has outgrown Tottenham and Levy’s poor decisions in terms of managers and player recruitment has seen the progress made under Mauricio Pochettino vanish. Kane is said to be disappointed that Spurs haven’t matched his own ambition.
Kane will have found it tough to make this decision, but his head has clearly overruled his heart.
To win trophies, fulfil his potential and take his game to the very top level, he needs to leave Tottenham. Deep down, Tottenham’s fans always knew this day would come.