Harry Kane contract update: Two big factors at play for Tottenham to convince talisman to commit long-term
Much has been made about Harry Kane’s Tottenham future, but TEAMtalk insider Ben Jacobs has given a definitive update on what the future holds for the club’s all-time record goalscorer.
The Spurs talisman is enjoying another prolific campaign in north London and the 267th strike of his Tottenham career in the win over Manchester City saw him surpass another club legend in Jimmy Greaves last weekend.
However, doubts continue to grow over whether the 29-year-old will still be a Tottenham player beyond the end of the current season.
Lingering doubts over boss Antonio Conte’s stay have not helped matters, with the two seemingly tied together.
Manchester United are once again being mentioned as potential suitors in the summer, while Chelsea are also known to be monitoring Kane’s situation.
But despite that uncertainty, Jacobs is convinced the England skipper is staying put – just as long as the club match on ambitions, with two factors in play.
Speaking exclusively to TEAMtalk, Jacobs said: “There’s a lot of talk about Harry Kane’s future, and naturally people lean towards who the suitors might be. But, as I’ve reported since October, Spurs are calm about the situation because they feel like Harry Kane’s priority is to extend that Spurs.
“And when you look at Kane, and his love for Tottenham, and having that emotional moment of becoming their all-time record goalscorer in a big win over Manchester City. That game, that moment about sums things up because it shows a variety of things.
“It shows that Tottenham can win a big game. That they can ultimately compete, at least across 90 minutes with a team like Manchester City. And crucially that it’s Kane’s goals that are going to make all of the difference.
“He also knows that Tottenham are invested in him, the fan base loves him. And ultimately, it’s his club. This all brings sentiment into the decision-making, which is why his starting position, as I understand it, and have done for months, is to try and stay at Spurs.
“But of course, the flip side is that Harry Kane is at a crucial age now. And he knows that the next contract extension is probably the last big one, because after it, he’s going to be in his mid-30s or beyond.
Kane decision not just coming from heart
“So there has to be a belief from Kane’s perspective in the project. And therefore, he will make the decision with not just his heart, and if it was only his heart, he’d have already signed with Spurs, but the head must come into it as well.
“Therefore the project has to move in the right direction. And luckily for Kane, he can control the project. As he showed against Manchester City by scoring goals, and helping Spurs qualify for Champions League football.
“And this is why we haven’t had any movement so far. Because although Kane wants to stay at Spurs, that is his top priority. And that is why Tottenham are relaxed about the situation.
“The season needs to progress a little bit further for Kane to see the direction to head in.
“Tottenham’s aim is to try and become a near automatic style Champions League qualifier because once you establish that, you can change your business model to factor in with regularity and predictability, that type of income.
“So Kane is watching that situation, and working out whether the project that showed lots of late potential with Champions League qualification last campaign can back itself up. And if it does, then I fully expect him to sit down and sign a new contract with Tottenham.”
Conte a major player in fresh Kane contract talks
Meanwhile, Jacobs also revealed that Conte’s future in north London will also play a major role in Kane‘s decision.
The Italian will be out of contract in the summer but does have an option to extend it by a further year.
And Jacobs added: “It’s premature to start saying this club or that club will bid for Harry Kane or is in the lead for Kane because the striker does want to stay at Spurs.
“And it’s not just about the love for the club, and the goals scored. It’s about continuity. He likes where he lives. And it’s very stable when you stay with one employer for such a long amount of time.
“And, ultimately, if Tottenham have Champions League football and are moving in the direction that Kane wants them to, and he knows he’s going to start and play – and he likes playing under Antonio Conte – then why change.
“But if the manager was to change if the club was to be outside of the Champions League, if the purse strings were to tighten again, then you suddenly start to look at that last period of your peak football career. And maybe wonder whether or not it’s worth going elsewhere. And that’s when people start to ask what the options are.”
“First of all, these links with Bayern Munich are exaggerated. They don’t seriously think that they can get Harry Kane if he was to leave Tottenham. It’s more likely as I understand it, that he would stay in the Premier League.
“And that’s when you start mentioning clubs like Manchester United or Chelsea. And we have to be clear here that it is premature to be speaking about anything Kane transfer-wise, because he will sit down with Tottenham as the season progresses.
“So until it’s clear that something is broken down between Tottenham and Kane, and Kane is definitely leaving, suitors are going to have to put their ambitions on ice. And that is, again, why it’s premature to start making connections between clubs and Kane.
“But again, I say what I’ve reiterated before, which is first of all, it’s a Spurs-Kane conversation, and both parties would like to get a renewal done.
“If that breaks down, and Tottenham’s project doesn’t move in the right direction, then there is a window of opportunity. But you’ve still got to agree a price with Daniel Levy, which is equally as challenging as convincing Kane to leave Tottenham.”
Kane and Spurs are back in action on Saturday when they head to Leicester in the Premier League.
