There’s news in various outlets this morning that Manchester United have cooled their potential interest in purchasing Harry Kane this summer. The Guardian write that United, basically Kane’s only viable option if he wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur and stay in the Premier League, have backed away from a possible bid because they aren’t willing to meet Spurs’ transfer fee demands, and have no interest in being involved in a long, drawn-out transfer process.
There were reports out of Spain last week that said something similar about Kane’s other reported suitor, Real Madrid. Yesterday the Spanish giants completed a huge €103m deal to sign Jude Bellingham, and the club is also interested in making a move for Kylian Mbappe next summer. The thought was that spending that much for Kane in addition to the others appears to be too much for even their near-limitless pockets.
So at present, that basically leaves Kane without a place to go, but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t still have a card to play. Unless another major continental team shows fresh interest (or, say, a Saudi club makes a huge bid or something) then Kane’s options are to either sign a fresh contract extension, or to wind down his deal and leave next summer on a free transfer.
This is the real brinksmanship end game. I’ve spoken a number of times on here about how allowing Kane to leave on a free transfer, potentially to United or Chelsea, would be the worst possible outcome. I still believe that. I cannot see a good reason why letting the best player in Tottenham’s history leave for nothing to a league rival could be considered an acceptable outcome under any circumstance.
And I don’t think that this news means for certain that Kane wouldn’t be sold. If he demands a move away this summer, I can absolutely see a scenario where clubs come back in for him, but at a lower price point — they’re just signaling to Daniel Levy at present that they’re not interested in him at sticker value.
So right now the ball’s in Harry’s court. He can decide he wants to stay at Spurs forever and retire a Tottenham legend and one-club man, or he can go to the “jerk mattress” (as we affectionally call it) and force an exit one way or another, potentially tarnishing his legacy. Your move, Harry.
