It is the story that refused to go away in the summer and looks like it is rearing its head again now. Ahead of the Premier League tie on Saturday February 19th at the Etihad Stadium, comments from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saw Harry Kane’s future questioned once more.
Rumours Circle as Harry Kane’s Future Questioned Again
Pep Guardiola on Harry Kane deal collapsed last summer: “We tried to sign a striker – but it was far away from being done because Tottenham were clear it was not going to happen”. 🏴 #MCFC
Harry Kane will decide on his contract situation in the coming months, not now. #THFC pic.twitter.com/4PrPkv3Qqy
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 18, 2022
No Complaints
Despite Manchester City openly chasing the signature of Kane in the summer, Guardiola says he has no complaints that they ultimately failed in their mission. According to the City boss, they approached Spurs on four separate occasions to try and secure Kane’s signature but at every turn, they were rebuffed by the notoriously difficult Daniel Levy. As the Premier League season began, City looked blunt up front following the departure of Sergio Aguero to Barcelona with a lack of goals against Leicester City in the Community Shield. Ironically, a Harry Kane-less Spurs raised questions about the champions’ lack of firepower when the North London side emerged as unexpected victors in an opening day fixture between the two teams.
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Never Disappointed
Guardiola explained to Sky Sports that he knows some deals cannot be done:
“I never was, in my 11 or 12 years, disappointed in what the club cannot do in the transfer market. I’ve never created a fire here because I represent the club and the club is always beyond myself by far.”
On Kane he said:
“We tried [to sign Kane] but it was far away to be done because Tottenham was clear this is not going to happen. And when it happens two, three, four times, it’s over.”
Guardiola did admit that after the start to the season he wasn’t sure what would happen next in terms of signings:
“Now you can say ‘Harry Kane didn’t come and everything is going well but at the time I didn’t know it. When we lost to Spurs and Leicester in the Community Shield.”
There needed to be no concern though as the likes of Raheem Sterling have stepped up and now they look odds on to guide City to another Premier League title success.
Harry Kane Will Make Contract Decision at End of Season
With Guardiola now having signed River Plate striker Julian Alvarez for next season there is little chance that they will return to the negotiating table in a bid to sign Kane. But just what will the English talisman do when the current season ends?
Once his dream move to City was cancelled by Levy, Kane eventually came out and stated he would be staying at Spurs;
“I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100 per cent focused on helping the team achieve success.”
Now he has two years, not three remaining on his contract at Spurs and the £150 million valuation the club placed on his head last summer will have dropped. Kane has shown some signs of returning to form but is still nowhere near the levels he was two and three seasons ago and it is hard to see any club now wanting to pay anything approaching £100 million for him.
Tottenham want to offer Kane a new contract until 2027 but the player may yet want to agitate once more for a move away.
Ambition
Kane has always wanted success with his beloved Spurs but it has constantly eluded him. Opportunities of Champions League, League Cup, FA Cup and Premier League success have all passed him by despite getting so tantalisingly close, especially under Mauricio Pochettino. Now he finds himself playing under one of the best coaches in football in Antonio Conte who is a known winner but things are not going as planned.
Tottenham headed into this weekend’s game against City having lost three league games in a row and their top-four chances were starting to ebb away. It remains a fight for Champions League places despite Spurs’ victory at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. As he approaches 30, Kane needs to decide whether he sticks or twists. Much will rely on whether Conte can get the backing he wants from Levy and if that will show Kane enough ambition to remain in North London.
Whilst any new contract remains unsigned, the talk of Kane’s future is not going to go away.
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