The endless speculation about Harry Kane’s future shows no sign of abating, and nor ought it to. Yet again Tottenham has a box office player on their books who would appear to have hit the Achievement Ceiling at the club that perennially talks a big game yet has only delivered one piece of domestic silverware in the past twenty years.
We’ve all been here before, under Daniel Levy Spurs have a considerable amount of form for selling their best players for big sums, once they realize they are unlikely to fulfill their ambitions in N17. Carrick and Berbatov needed to move to Manchester United to win trophies. Modric and Bale left for Real Madrid to attain silverware and Walker went to Manchester City for the same reason. All these players earned more money and won silverware after leaving Tottenham.
Today The Sun cites a valuation of £175million off Kane, and I fully expect that number to vary hugely as media outlets compete to add their own information to the story that will not go away.
Regrettably, a price tag won’t ward off suitors for the England captain, and the time for direct action is upon Daniel Levy, for the umpteenth time.
In order to keep Kane, no amount of flannel will suffice, Kane has been at the club since 2009 and the 27-year-old will have heard it all. Chapter and verse. The first step will be to offer Harry a golden-handcuffs type deal, with a bigger salary, and bigger bonus incentives.
The second step is to convince Kane that Mourinho will not just be given time, but the authority to meaningfully shake the squad up – and this is to include an agreement that the Portuguese will have the final word on all transfer activity – to which end that this coach will not have to suffer any more special offers.
If a player signs for Spurs, then he will specifically sign for Mourinho.
There are numerous squad players at Tottenham that are past their use-by date, and they must be moved on without further excuse or debate. This would naturally be part of the same deal.
If any other course of action is pursued, then the polite version of events is that what will then unfold will be ugly.
Kane leaving will be like the ravens leaving the Tower of London – and anyone seeking to put a positive spin on that… well, good luck with that pointless endeavour.