Time has come for Harry Kane to join Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's bid to restore Manchester United to the Premier League elite has received a massive boost with the acquisition of Bruno Fernandes in January. However, there's still one piece of the jigsaw missing, and the Norwegian is aware that Harry Kane could well be the final ingredient to help the Red Devils return to the top of England's top-flight.
While enjoying his rise to the stardom at Tottenham, the 26-year-old won the Premier League Golden Boot twice, hitting a 20-goal milestone in five consecutive seasons. Having racked up 17 goals in all competitions, he had been on the verge of ensuring a similar achievement for the sixth year running before picking up a hamstring injury in January.
Signing Kane would probably require United to shatter the world-record transfer fee. But, considering the level of performances and consistency the English striker has demonstrated since breaking onto the Premier League stage, he’s worth every penny. The England captain is among the most prolific strikers of his generation and arguably one of the most lethal No. 9s in Europe at this point.
The Red Devils have had some of the most highly-rated central forwards throughout their illustrious history. Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are just some of many household names who spearheaded United's attack at some point. Now, Kane could join this very distinguished group of hitmen, as he prepares to take the next step in his career.
Tottenham will encounter a daunting task of securing the top-four finish in the Premier League if the season continues, and reports in England insist Kane is second-guessing his future in London. Faced with the constant pressure from influential football figures to swap his loyalty to Spurs for the prospect of bringing his career to a new level, Kane could finally decide to part company with Jose Mourinho's side.
Tottenham can’t offer Kane what he needs
Harry Kane is the personification of Tottenham's rise in England's top-tier, a symbol of Mauricio Pochettino's impressive work in north London and a fan-favorite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Along with the likes of Eden Hazard and Sergio Aguero, he has been a synonym for the Premier League for the past decade, and the omnipresent figure that has defined the recent competition’s history. However, unlike the abovementioned duo, the 26-year-old striker has never got the recognition he undoubtedly deserved for everything he has given to the league so far.
Hazard won two Premier League titles before swapping Chelsea for Real Madrid last summer, while Aguero has four league trophies under his belt. Meanwhile, Kane, who has gobbled 108 Premier League goals so far, has yet to lift a single silverware with Spurs. It is unacceptable for a player who broke into the PFA Team of the Year four times and wrapped up the EPL Golden Boot twice to still seek his first senior trophy. It is now an undeniable fact that Spurs are wasting Kane's top-notch talent.
Tottenham have established themselves as a permanent fixture in England's top-five rankings, but their inability to compete for major titles has become annoying and frustrating. Unfortunately for Kane, he has given everything to the Lilywhites but has got nothing but misery and suffering in return.
Therefore, change is no longer recommendable - it's necessary.
Move to Old Trafford has its benefits
If the Red Devils manage to find an agreement with Tottenham and capitalize on their long-standing admiration for Kane, it could be a turning point in the club's efforts to return to the glory days and a career-defining moment for the player. The three-time Champions League winners would get one of the best strikers in the modern Premier League history, while the Englishman would join the team capable of winning trophies.
Although Real Madrid emerged as one of the possible suitors for Kane, Manchester United remain in the driver's seat, as they can offer the prolific striker the chance to continue his career in the Premier League. Indeed, the Englishman has built his career and reputation in England, and it's safe to say that the Premier League is his comfort zone. There's virtually no genuine reason for Kane to go overseas when he is respected and worshiped in his homeland.
There's no doubt that Kane would be in the center of Solskjaer's project if the deal goes through. He could be the catalyst to reinvigorates to struggling giants and help them end Liverpool's newfound status of the Premier League supreme force. Moreover, he could set up a formidable attacking partnership with his fellow England international colleague, Marcus Rashford, that would also benefit the national team.
Paul Pogba, whose influence at Old Trafford dwindled following Bruno Fernandes' arrival, is still assessing the possibility of remaining at the club beyond the summer. The Portuguese playmaker's outstanding impact has come as a stimulation for the Frenchman to reconsider his future at the Theatre of Dreams. If Kane links up with Solskjaer's side, it could entice the World Cup winner to pledge his future to United and finally start repaying the £89million the club paid to take him back from Juventus in 2016.
Tottenham need money, United have it
Even though he has endured a few injury setbacks this season, Kane is at the peak of his powers and will command a hefty price tag in case Tottenham are forced into selling. The fact that his contract in north London runs until 2024 helps solidify Spurs’ bargaining position in possible summer negotiations, which implies this is the right time for the Londoners to cash in on their captain.
Although the 26-year-old has a host of admirers across the Old Continent, only a few teams have the financial power to afford his stratospheric price tag and exorbitant wages. The clubs in Europe are dealing with the financial fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which will hugely impact on their transfer plans for the summer.
However, the Red Devils are expected to have a sizeable budget for the summer spending campaign regardless of the coronavirus impact. As one wealthiest and the most influential football clubs on the planet, Manchester United enjoy a high level of certainty that very few sides can match, which will give them the upper hand over the majority of European teams in the upcoming transfer window.
Recent reports in England have pointed out that the Tottenham bigwig Daniel Levy has changed his stance on Kane's indispensability as a consequence of the economic damage the club has suffered throughout the crisis. Levy, who has been fighting tooth and nail to keep hold of the star striker, is now allegedly prepared to sanction the Englishman's switch to Old Trafford for a world-record fee of £200million.
The coronavirus outbreak has come in the worst possible moment for the London outfit, as they are £637million short of their stadium loan, which could devastate the club's finances in the long run. Having that said, Levy is ready to give up on his most valuable and prized asset at the end of the season in order to avoid a financial collapse and ensure some economic stability.
Moreover, Tottenham’s activities when the transfer window opens for business will hinge on the outgoings, given the way they struggled to cope with the crisis. A liquidity injection ensured by Kane’s departure will provide much-needed funds to Jose Mourinho to reshape his squad. In these uncertain times, the prospect of injecting the £200million into the club’s budget is most certainly the opportunity Spurs can’t allow to pass on.