‘TOP-FOUR OR KANE WILL GO’
TOTTENHAM legend Dimitar Berbatov fears Harry Kane will once again attempt to force his departure from the club if Antonio Conte fails to deliver success this season.
Berbatov believes Conte will have to qualify for the Champions League or win the FA Cup – or face the prospect of another summer of discontent from his captain.
Kane waged an unsuccessful bid to force through a £100million move to Manchester
City last year after
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had refused to do business with the champions.
The England skipper is still waiting to land the first winner’s medal of his career - and Berbatov reckons the 28-year-old will be driven by the worry that he is running out of time to realise his ambitions.
Berbatov (below) said: “In my opinion, I think we are going to see a similar situation with Harry to last year.
“I am not convinced that the thought of moving to a top club to win trophies is out of Harry’s head.
“Yes, Conte has said that Harry is a key guy and that the team must evolve around him.
“But at the same time, I think that temptation is still there - and that we will see the same drama next summer.
“The only way that won’t happen is if Spurs win something or qualify for the Champions League.
“That’s where Kane wants to be - so let’s see if Spurs can surprise a few people by doing it.”
Conte missed out on the Carabao Cup final when Spurs were knocked out by Chelsea over two legs in the semi-finals. But he has won five and drawn three of eight Premier League games since taking over.
And although Tottenham trail both Arsenal and West Ham in the table, they have games in hand over both in the race for the top
four. Berbatov, now an ambassador for Betfair, scored a goal when
Spurs last lifted a trophy, beating Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final.
He feels his former club must bend their philosophy to Conte’s will if they are going to succeed.
He said: “Conte has an Italian mindset. I played under Claudio Ranieri in Monaco, so I know how Italian coaches work.
“For the players, it can be boring at times because they are very tactical thinkers who are very disciplined on the training pitch.
“For attacking players like me, who want to improvise and express ourselves, it can be as boring as hell. Trust me.
“But Tottenham need that – because Conte’s methods can bring consistency.” ‘I’m not convinced
that the thought of moving to a top
club to win trophies is out of
Harry’s head’