Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is prepared for the transfer battle to keep Harry Kane at the London club. Kane, who is currently captaining England at Euro 2020, had earlier communicated his intention to leave the club this summer.
Daniel Levy Prepared for Battle Over Harry Kane Transfer
Trophyless Years and a Downward Trajectory
Harry Kane, who will turn 28 next month, is yet to win a major trophy with Tottenham. The striker, lauded as one of the world’s best, has 166 Premier League goals, putting him seventh in the all-time top scorers’ list. Kane has won the Premier League golden boot three times, level with Alan Shearer and one less than Thierry Henry.
Kane has reportedly grown frustrated by the lack of silverware. Since losing to Liverpool in the 2018/19 Champions League final, their performances have deteriorated. Mauricio Pochettino was sacked two months into the season and Jose Mourinho has come and gone, but following a Europa League exit to a Dinamo Zagreb side coached by a man who was given a prison sentence, Spurs will be the Premier League’s first entrant in the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2021/22.
Managerial Uncertainty
Tottenham are yet to appoint a new manager for the upcoming season. Former Spurs midfielder Ryan Mason took control of the side after Mourinho’s dismissal. The 29-year old oversaw a seventh-place finish that ensured some European football for next season, even if it is in UEFA’s new third-tier competition.
Levy had wanted Erik ten Hag and Julian Nagelsmann, but the former’s Ajax contract was extended while the latter joined Bayern. Talks of a return for Pochettino were dismissed soon enough by Paris Saint-Germain. Antonio Conte, who left Inter after leading them to the Scudetto due to lack of agreement over transfer policy, came close to becoming the new manager. Talks broke down, and they moved on to Paulo Fonseca. Fonseca, who has incidentally been replaced by Mourinho at Roma, was even closer, but talks broke down at the last minute. A short flirtation with Gennaro Gattuso, who left Fiorentina after just 23 days, also ended quickly.
The uncertainty regarding his future seems to be weighing on Kane’s mind. Many have attributed his lacklustre performances at the Euros to the transfer saga.
No Lack of Suitors
Harry Kane will have no lack of suitors lining up for his signature. The two Manchester clubs and Chelsea are among the frontrunners, with the list also including PSG. Manchester City are considered favourites at the moment and have since opened with a £100 million bid. United are set for other big-money transfers such as Jadon Sancho and investment needed in other areas.
A deal with Chelsea would be very difficult given the hostility between the clubs. Levy famously denied Luka Modric a move to Chelsea in 2011, despite Modric having agreed terms and met Roman Abramovich on his yacht.
Levy is unwilling to let him go, unsurprisingly. Kane is Spurs’ talisman, and without him, there is a significant drop in quality. In 2013, after Gareth Bale’s record departure, Spurs were unable to reinvest the money properly. Only Erik Lamela remains from the incoming posse. The Argentine has been an inconsistent, injury-prone presence, however.
Any deal, if it is to happen, will cost upwards of £100 million and is likely to end up as a protracted saga. It is likely to be the major talking point of this summer’s transfer window. Daniel Levy is a tough negotiator, and there is no guarantee where Harry Kane will ultimately end up when the 2021/22 season starts.
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