Move over Neymar: Kane would cost $294 million, claims Real boss Perez
MADRID: It would take a world record €250 million ($294 million) fee to land the in-form Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said.
The English striker’s 13 goals in 12 games this season has sparked rumors that he could be the latest star to swap Spurs for Spain, following in the footsteps of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.
However, having had his fingers burned in paying a then world record €100 million for Bale in 2013, Perez is wary of trying to negotiate with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
“I think he is a magnificent player and, moreover, he is young with many years ahead of him to progress,” Perez told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope after attending FIFA’s annual awards.
And Perez believes Levy’s reputation for delaying moves until late in the transfer window to get the best possible deal means he would want more than the €222 million Paris Saint-Germain paid to snatch Neymar from Barcelona in August.
“No (I haven’t asked the price) because if I ask, he will tell me 250 million,” Perez added. “We have made friends with Tottenham over the time it took to sign Luka Modric and Gareth Bale as with the two of them we ended up signing them on the final day of the window.
“We ended up having a good friendship and he (Levy) always says to me when we win the European Cup: ‘Thanks for winning the European Cup with my players’.”
While Real dominated the FIFA awards on Monday night (see story below) and have dominated Spanish and European footbal over the past 12 months, they were unable to get the better of Kane’s Spurs in their 1-1 Champions League draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.
And Kane will have another chance to show the Spanish giants what they are missing when the sides meet again on Nov. 1 at Wembley with top spot in Group H at stake.
Only Lionel Messi, with 50, has scored more goals for club and country than Kane (45) this year, while the striker has 37 goals in his last 36 Premier League games. — AFP