THE KANE CONUNDRUM
He wants to win top trophies now but Levy’s £150m fee will put off Europe’s elite
As news of Harry Kan e ’ s latest remarks regarding his Tottenham future filtered through to Daniel Levy’s office on sunday, it is unlikely there would have been a sharp intake of breath.
‘I’m fully focused on doing the job on the pitch from now until the end of the summer and then we’ll see where we go from there,’ said Kane. Hardly an admission he wants to leave, but nor was it an unequivocal declaration of commitment.
Therein lies the problem — the uncertainty. Kane’s reluctance to kill talk of a move away from north London speaks volumes. It is no secret the 27-year- old wants to win trophies: titles and Champions Leagues.
would he be attracted by a move that would provide him with a chance to compete at the top? Of course. That would not surprise anyone with spurs connections.
It is not that Kane desperately wants to leave. He just desperately wants to win. That has been a concern since spurs lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. That is a concern with spurs 23 points off Premier League leaders Manchester City. He is at a stage where he can no longer buy into long-term projects.
spurs face City in the Carabao Cup final next month, a chance for Kane to finally win his first trophy. But it is unlikely that would be enough to appease the england captain, one of the best players in the world.
And who can blame him? Missing out on Champions League football for a second season in a row would be a crushing blow.
when asked if another season outside that elite competition could affect Kane staying at the top of his game, england manager Gareth southgate dodged the question expertly.
Tottenham are adamant it would not. And there is evidence that Kane would not lose his edge outside the Champions League.
He is a player not only driven by team goals but by achieving personal targets.
His all-round performances have reached new levels this season — his 23 goals and 17 assists prove the point.
But even if his own game did not dip and he kept setting new personal targets, that could not sustain him forever.
If Kane is asking himself whether he can achieve his lofty ambitions at the club where he is idolised, the answer appears simple.
Yet Kane has been at spurs long enough to know nothing is simple when Levy and the transfer market are involved. There is firm interest in him from europe’s elite: Real Madrid, Paris saint-Germain, Juventus, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
However, sources claim the spurs chairman would refuse to entertain interest from domestic rivals — a stance that halves Kane’s options at a stroke.
even then the club are so reluctant for him to leave that they are expected to set an asking price of £150million — a fee Real, Juve and PsG would baulk at, given the financial implications of Covid.
even though Kane does not rely on pace, his ability to reinvent his game should mean he has five more years at his peak. The emergence of erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe also affect his future. At 20 and 22 respectively, they offer greater longevity and resale value.
with three years left on Kane’s contract, Levy can call the shots. If he did agree to sell, you can trust it would be on his terms: full asking price, no players in exchange — hard cash.
There is a sense at spurs that the summer of 2022, when he enters the final two years of his contract, might be the time they finally bid farewell. whether a knock on Levy’s door at the end of this season alters that stance remains to be seen.
But even if Kane made his feelings clear, he would not down tools — he is too professional and respectful to a club he has an obvious emotional bond with.
In many ways Kane has become a victim of his own success. He would improve any team. But those services come at a price — a particularly high one when Levy is calling the tune.