Levy reaches unreal Harry Kane decision to cripple Man Utd dream as De Jong repeat haunts Ten Hag
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is preparing to run a huge gamble over the future of Harry Kane this summer that as good as ends Manchester United’s prospects of luring him to Old Trafford.
The England captain is now in his final 15 months of his Spurs contract after spending the bulk of his career at N17. Indeed, talks over a renewal will reportedly take place this summer.
And while Kane has previously indicated a willingness to extend, Tottenham’s recent shortcomings have again placed his future in doubt. Having been dumped out of both the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of seven days earlier this month, Spurs will again finish the season trophyless.
Their last trophy came all the way back in 2008, long before Kane was a first-teamer at Spurs. And there is a growing fear for the player that, if he commits his final years to the club, he could retire without ever having lifted a trophy.
Clearly for a player of his standing, that is not good enough. Indeed, the likes of Paul Merson, Ian Wright and Thierry Henry have all implored him to leave of late. Arsenal connections aside, they do make a valid argument over why Kane needs to move on.
As it stands, all talks over his future are on hold until the summer.
And while there remains an element of calm that Kane will stay, knowing he has just a year left come the summer will be of concern.
As such, Ben Jacobs has told TEAMtalk of the three hurdles Manchester United need to clear before any deal for Kane can go through.
READ MORE ~ Exclusive: Harry Kane to Man Utd takes leap forward as three hurdles for Ten Hag to clear emerge
Levy ready to take major Kane transfer risk
However should Kane decide he is not willing to sign a new deal and wants to take up a new challenge elsewhere, a route out of Spurs will prove far from easy.
Indeed, Sky Sports reports that Levy has decided that, even if Kane declines an extension, he will not negotiate his sale with Manchester United this summer.
And the no-nonsense Tottenham supremo is adamant that the club has no desires to cash-in on their talismanic striker.
However, the strategy comes with it an enormous risk.
With just a year left on his deal, Kane would be eligible to make a free transfer move away from the club in just a year’s time. Alternatively, he would be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from January 1 – less than 10 months time.
And with no shortage of admirers, interest in Kane would surely quadruple were the player to enter free agency status.
In his time at Tottenham, Kane has smashed in 270 goals in 424 games to become their all-time leading goalscorer. He also has 203 Premier League goals and now sits just 57 adrift of Alan Shearer’s all-time record.
But while he is happy at Tottenham, it is the worrying lack of trophies that could lead him away.
Levy, though, remains unfazed and will simply refuse to sanction his sale no matter what come the summer.
Ten Hag wary of De Jong repeat with Kane
As far as United are concerned, Ten Hag remains extremely cautious over pursuing a deal.
He has made clear his desire to sign a new striker. To that end, he has reportedly instructed scouts to follow the every move of a Serie A star in the meantime.
And he does have several lines of enquiry open to him. As well as Kane, there is also interest in the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Goncalo Ramos and, most pertinently, Victor Osimhen.
However, Levy’s stance on Kane might just change Ten Hag’s perspective over pursuing a deal for the Spurs frontman.
And drawing lessons from last season’s failed Frenkie de Jong pursuit – which lingered on for much of the summer – he is more than wary of a repeat.
Instead, the United boss is likely to find out which clubs are willing to negotiate first before chasing a new No 9.
The Red Devils remain confident they will add to their strikeforce this summer. But they will only move for a star seen as obtainable and also considered as a player who can spearhead what is hoped will be a title push.
