Account
Report: Harry Kane Wants Tottenham Exit; Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea Linked
May 17, 2021
Harry Kane's time at Tottenham Hotspur could be drawing to an end.
ESPN FC's James Olley reported Monday that the star forward had told club chairman Daniel Levy he wants to leave this summer. Kane is looking to remain in the Premier League, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all reaching out to his representatives about a possible move.
This is a day Spurs supporters probably feared would come. Tottenham sits sixth in the league table, five points behind fourth-place Chelsea with two matches to go. The club in all likelihood will miss out on qualifying for the Champions League.
Even if they were to climb into the top four, Spurs are well off the level required to win the Premier League.
Kane has been a senior member of the squad since 2009—with some loan spells temporarily taking him away from north London. As much as he has remained loyal, sooner or later, the 27-year-old might want to challenge for trophies.
The Athletic's Oliver Kay and Jack Pitt-Brooke reported in April that Kane "is running out of patience at Tottenham Hotspur and will push for a transfer this summer if they fail to secure Champions League qualification." However, they added that finalizing a transfer will be easier said than done.
Kane has 22 goals and 13 assists through 33 appearances in the Premier League. Not only has he remained a lethal finisher, but his record of 0.40 assists per 90 minutes represents more than double his career average (0.12), per FBref.
In a vacuum, any major club across Europe would probably love to sign the England captain.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt, though. Olley floated a £150 million transfer fee as the price it might take to prise Kane from Tottenham Hotspur. That's a sizable figure during a normal summer window but especially so given the present financial climate.
Chelsea was aggressive last summer, with a net spend of £152.4 million thanks to the arrivals of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Edouard Mendy. Olley also wrote the Blues "would not be put off by the price tag."
While Kane would be an upgrade over Werner, signing one of the world's best strikers would only add to Chelsea's logjam up front.
United, meanwhile, just extended Edinson Cavani's contract for another season. Landing Kane might be tricky if the Red Devils want to reignite their failed pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho too.
Manchester City arguably makes the most sense because the club's ownership has an almost limitless source of money. Sergio Aguero's impending departure creates the need for a new No. 9 too. Gabriel Jesus is still only 24 but hasn't shown the kind of consistency needed to prove he can be the long-term replacement for Aguero.