Harry’s game doomed to fail says Redknapp
FORMER SPURS BOSS INSISTS LEVY WILL NOT SELL TO AN ENGLISH RIVAL
HARRY KANE will have to wait a year for his move away from Tottenham if the past is anything to go by.
Even then it probably will not be to Manchester City but an overseas club instead.
That is the history lesson that former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants the England captain to learn quickly before he tarnishes his reputation as a hero to the club’s fans.
The man who gave Kane his Spurs debut believes the striker is foolish to believe Daniel Levy will back down when a player is angling for a move to a rival.
Redknapp said: “As much as I love Harry, he’s a fantastic player and great lad, but he’s in a difficult situation.
“If Daniel doesn’t get the money he wants, he’s not going to say, ‘We love you Harry, you’ve been a great servant and we’re going to let you go for this amount’.
“Daniel won’t budge, so this is not the best way to go about it really. He’s so loved at Tottenham, it’d be a shame if that got spoilt because of what he’s done and how much he loves the club.”
Redknapp recalls in 2011, when Kane was on the fringes of the first-team squad as a teenager, Luka Modric was given exactly the same hardball treatment when he tried to engineer his own move to one of Tottenham’s Premier League rivals.
Like Kane, Modric claimed he had a “gentleman’s agreement” with the club. But when he hinted at taking matters into his own hand, Levy hit back.
“He threatened me,” Modric said later that summer. “He said if I did not accept the club’s stance, they would make me sit on the bench or in the stands.”
Redknapp said: “Luka got on with it and played, and Daniel said, ‘Give me one more season and we’ll sell you with the right offer’.”
As it was, a year later, the fresh promise held when new suitors Real Madrid stepped in – although only after the Spanish club had met his full £35million valuation.
The key was the destination. Forget squabbling over Kane’s transfer fee – Levy knows the big money comes from qualification for the Champions League, which is why he is adamant Kane will not join a Premier League rival for those four places unless it is for an almost punitive premium.
Ultimately, Levy knows he has the trump card – Kane’s six-year contract which still has three full seasons to run.
Redknapp told TalkSport: “It seems like something similar has happened with Harry as with Luka. Daniel has said, ‘Give us another year’ but unless he’s got something in writing or an actual figure...
“Daniel is probably saying, ‘I will sell you but I’m not going to sell you cheap – if I don’t get the money I want, you are not going’.
“Tottenham are within their rights to do that.”
City are holding fire on letting forward Liam Delap go out on loan until they see which way the Kane saga plays out. Stoke, Millwall, Preston and Middlesborough are among the Championship clubs who have expressed an interest in the City academy frontman.
But City fear their pursuit of Kane could yet come to nothing, so a decision on Delap has been put on hold.
City sources yesterday refused to rule out Delap leaving the Etihad for a season-long loan but said it could be as late as deadline day. Stoke manager Michael O’Neill admitted his interest in Delap, 18, who topped the scoring charts in Premier League 2 last season.
Delap’s father, Rory, is on the coaching staff at Stoke.
But Boro, Millwall and Preston, who have had good success with City academy stars, remain hopeful.
If he does go out on loan, City will keep close tabs on him. However, suggestions they would insist on clauses guaranteeing a number of starts are wide of the mark.