Zidane leaves door open for ‘complete’ Kane to follow Bale
Real manager refuses to rule out move for striker Pochettino says star can be a club hero like Totti
Zinedine Zidane yesterday hailed Harry Kane as the “complete” centre-forward and kept open the prospect of making a bid to bring the England captain from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid.
Kane’s 43 goals in 38 games surpasses the scoring ratio even of Cristiano Ronaldo during 2017 and, while Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino last night likened his striker to Roma one-club legend Francesco Totti, his goalscoring feats have clearly registered at the Bernabeu.
Tottenham were also greeted by a front-page headline in the Spanish newspaper Marca of “Harry El Fuerte” alongside a picture of Kane when they arrived in Spain yesterday for tonight’s Champions League group game against the defending champions. The headline translates as “Harry, The Strong” and he was described as the “perfect” finisher.
Kane was open-minded when asked about his club future this month and, with Madrid having previously bought Gareth Bale and Luka Modric from Tottenham, Zidane is clearly a big admirer.
“He is a very important player, he is a key player for Tottenham – he is very good at everything,” said the Real manager. “What he does is always towards the goal, he attacks space at speed. He is a complete player.” Zidane also suggested that Kane’s progress had surprised him, adding that “he didn’t seem to be [complete] but in the end he is”.
Asked directly about the possibility of Kane following Bale and Modric from Tottenham to Madrid, Zidane replied: “I don’t know what will happen in the future.”
Tottenham have made it clear Kane is not for sale and he is tied to a long-term deal until 2022. Pochettino was asked about whether Kane could play for Madrid and, having replied “only football knows the future”, he made the comparison to Totti and his bond with Roma.
Totti retired this year at the age of 40 after 25 seasons at Roma and Pochettino revealed how Kane had been both motivated and moved by that rare devotion to one club.
“He’s a player who likes scoring, loves the Tottenham shirt and was excited when he saw Totti’s farewell in Rome and that created extra motivation,” said Pochettino. “Harry was so emotional. I said maybe he can have the same career as Totti. I hope he stays with us for a long time because he has great quality and is a model for many of his team-mates. Players with this quality are not nervous or troubled before either Real Madrid or Bournemouth. They feel the same; they are winners, warriors.
“Harry is a really mature lad; he sees things really clearly. His dream is to do something big at Tottenham, the club he’s a fan of.”
Having experienced Real’s previous pursuit of their players, Tottenham must wonder whether Zidane’s comments could become the prelude to a more sustained effort. There was also an interview yesterday with Modric who, while adamant Tottenham were now ready to challenge to win the Premier League, said that moving to Madrid had improved his career. “Signing for this club helped me move up to the next level – I am playing the best football of my career and feel better every day,” he said.
Away from Kane, tonight’s match will go a long way to deciding who wins Group H, with Spurs and Real level on points and goal difference after wins against Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia. Zidane called it the “first final” of the group while Pochettino acknowledged the wider significance in his young team’s development.
“At this level, against the best teams in the world, we don’t have that experience,” said Pochettino. “This is a great chance to see our capability at a physical, tactical and mental level. These matches can make us grow. We try to put Tottenham in that level to fight for big things, in England and in Europe.”
As well as the front-page treatment of Kane, Marca was forced to clarify a separate article in which it claimed Tottenham were disliked because of their “Jewish origin”. It also described Spurs as “hated” and said that they were “repudiated” across England for having two Argentine players – Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa – at the time of the Falklands Conflict.
“We are astonished that a publication such as Marca, which presents itself as an alleged source of professional journalism, has seen fit to publish such an article which is blatantly wrong and wholly distasteful,” said a Tottenham statement. Marca subsequently claimed that the exact meaning of the word “hated” had been lost in translation, but outlined its “regret” at the offence it had caused.