Tottenham Hotspurs chairman Daniel Levy seems to have a sword of Damocles dangling over his head as the club’s top scorer and lynchpin Harry Kane is apparently fine with seeing out his current Tottenham deal and departing the club on a free transfer next summer, it has been reported.
England captain Kane is into the final year of a six-year deal he inked back in 2018 and the feeling is becoming more ominous that he will not renew his contract in north London as speculation regarding his future is gaining momentum ahead of what is appearing to be a crucial summer for both club and player.
The latest news is that chairman Levy – with a reputation for being incredibly difficult to deal with when it comes to transfer negotiations – will not sell him to an English rival despite indirect negotiations having already begun in earnest, reports The Telegraph. However, it now appears that Kane himself is open to the option of taking the decision entirely out of Levy’s hands and seeing out his current contract.
A controversial move of this nature, particularly considering the lack of return Tottenham would get for a player said to have a true market value of close to £150m, would be sure to raise the eyebrows of the club’s supporters as they have in the past expressed their obvious displeasure with Kane when he expressed his desire publicly to leave the club two years ago.
As for Kane, the absence of a transfer fee being exchanged between two clubs in the case of a high-profile player like him would only serve to increase his leverage as well as a greater signing-on bonus when moving as a free agent.
Kane’s situation runs parallel to that of former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, who – disillusioned by the perceived lack of ambition in north London – forced Arsenal’s hand in the summer of 2012 to expedite his move to Manchester United.
Levy will have his negotiating skills tested to the maximum this summer as a result of a situation that many Tottenham supporters believe is his own undoing as the vibes currently surrounding Kane is that he is unlikely to commit to fresh terms. This is also because Tottenham has regressed significantly since Mauricio Pochettino departed in 2019.
However, Mail Sport reports that Levy’s negotiating tactics have dissuaded potential suitors in the past, with Manchester United themselves having been on the receiving end more than once, so it’s still a big question mark whether or not Kane heading to the North West.
Were Levy to sell Kane this summer, particularly to an English rival, the club would expect to fetch a fee somewhere close to £100m.
Adding spice to the situation, United’s trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening was marked by the traveling supporters very vocally chanting, ‘Harry Kane, we’ll see you in June’.
Kane admitted that he heard the song, telling reporters after the game: “I heard what they were saying [the United fans] but I’m just focused on this team and trying to finish strongly.”
In addition, Kane also spoke of the team meeting the players had with Levy following the 6-1 defeat at Newcastle which sparked the sacking of Cristian Stellini, which came accompanied by a statement in which the chairman accepted responsibility for the club’s failings.
“I think it was important [for Levy] to understand where the players’ heads were at that moment,’ said Kane.
“It was an honest conversation of where everyone is at and what we need to try to do to give us the best possible chance to finish the season with something.
“We’re still fighting for fourth place but if it’s not fourth, we’ll try to finish fifth or sixth – as high up as we can.
“In this league, it’s so competitive, you can easily end up eighth or ninth if you’re not careful. That’s what it was – to give us the best chance and I’m glad we reacted like that.”