Yahoo Movies Harry Kane next club odds if he leaves Tottenham, contract expiry and potential Spurs replacements
Harry Kane has told the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy he wants to leave the club, sparking the major transfer saga of the summer. Kane informed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy more than a month ago that he would like to leave the club at the end of the season as he goes in search of trophies.
So will he really leave? And if so, where will he go? Here is everything you need to know about Kane’s clouded future.
Why does Kane want to leave Tottenham?
Kane is passionate about the club where he grow from promising academy goalscorer into a Premier League star, and when he signed a long-term deal in 2018, Spurs were near the peak of their powers under Mauricio Pochettino and it seemed Kane would never leave the club. But the team has been on a downward spiral ever since losing the 2018-19 Champions League final to Liverpool, with Pochettino departing and Jose Mourinho struggling to rekindle their best form, and Mourinho too has now been sacked after they crashed out of the Europa League and their title challenge crumbled. With trophies looking further away than ever, and Kane nearing his 28th birthday, he has decided he needs to leave the club and join one of Europe’s biggest powers if he is to realise his dream of building a medal collection worthy of his considerable talent.
How long is Kane’s Spurs contract?
Kane signed a six-year contract in 2018, committing him to the club until 2024. That means he is contracting to Tottenham for another three seasons, weakening his negotiating position. However, it is understood that he has a gentleman’s agreement with chairman Levy that he can leave this summer, following interest from Manchester City last year which was rebuffed by Spurs.
Which club are favourites to sign Kane?
It is thought Manchester is Kane’s preferred destination. It comes down to a process of elimination: he would prefer to stay in the Premier League, but he is apprehensive about the idea of playing for another London club and risking his reputation with Spurs fans, even if Chelsea are keen to sign him and have the financial muscle to do so. That leaves only Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City – and Liverpool are not thought to be willing to put together the money for such a move. City are best placed financially to meet what would be one of the most expensive transfers in the history of football – Kane is thought to be worth around £150m in today’s transfer market, although Spurs privately insist he is worth much more. But United are keen for a marquee signing this summer and Kane is on their shortlist, along with Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.
Levy, of course, would prefer to sell Kane abroad than to a Premier League rival, but Real Madrid and Barcelona are both in dire financial straits, hence their determination to see through the controversial Super League which would have eased their debts, while Bayern Munich are happy with Robert Lewandowski and Juventus have Cristiano Ronaldo. That only leaves Paris Saint-Germain among European super-clubs, where Kane’s former manager Mauricio Pochettino would love to welcome the England captain, but whether the French league entices Kane is another matter.
What are the next-club odds?
Manchester City 2/1
Manchester United 7/2
Chelsea 10/1
PSG 12/1
Real Madrid 20/1
Barcelona 25/1
Juventus 33/1
Liverpool 40/1
Who could Spurs sign as a replacement?
While losing Kane would be a huge blow to Spurs, there is no doubt they could receive a huge fee of up to £200m for his services, money which Levy must surely consider. Tottenham have huge debts after building their shiny new stadium and the transfer fee would help repay these, as would losing Kane’s wages from the weekly bill. Kane will be 28 next season and so his value will only depreciate as the years roll by.
Kane is almost irreplaceable, but there are plenty of talented young strikers who could grow into the role over time, while Spurs’ existing striker Carlos Vinicius is slowly settling into English football. While the likes of the highly rated young Norwegian striker Erling Haaland may be beyond Tottenham’s reach, England internationals Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins are still young and could develop into top strikers. Spurs could look abroad for a cheaper option, like Reims’ Boulaye Dia who has impressed this season in France. Torino’s highly rated Andrea Belotti and Salzburg’s Patson Daka are also well thought of around Europe and are likely to get big moves this summer.
Will he really leave?
Manchester City may be the favourites to sign Kane but the shortest odds are still on Kane staying at Tottenham (11/8). That’s because any deal would be extremely challenging to complete, involving vast sums of money, an enormous contract and most significantly of all, a club in Tottenham Hotspur who do not want to sell their best player to a rival. A transfer is possible, and it seems increasingly likely Kane will not finish his career at Spurs, but whether it can be done this summer remains to be seen. Kane may want a move but he is unlikely to come out in public and damage his image by putting pressure on the club. He needs a potential suitor to force the issue and test Spurs’ resolve to keep him. Only then might Kane get the new start he desires.
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