Over the weekend, rumors linking Tottenham stalwart Harry Kane with a world-record £ m transfer to Manchester United gathered pace .
The England captain has spent his whole career at Spurs but is said to be frustrated with the lack of silverware he has won during his career so far, despite many near-misses.
The last of these was a devastating defeat against Liverpool in last year Champions League final in Madrid and since that heartbreaking night in June, Tottenham have parted company with manager Mauricio Pochettino, who molded Kane into the player he is today, and replaced him with Jose Mourinho.
Harry Kane hasn’t won a trophy at Tottenham, missing out in the Champions League last year
Manchester Untied manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could swoop for Kane this summer
The 44 – year-old said earlier this month that he would not stay at Tottenham ‘for the sake of it’, fueling speculation of a transfer away.
Sidelined by a hamstring injury since January, Kane has an opportunity to get back to full fitness in time for football’s return after the coronavirus crisis subsides.
But come the summer and after the season concludes, could Kane shockingly move up north to a top-six rival? Is he worth the vast sum that is circling, and what would United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players stand to gain from one of Europe’s most deadly strikers joining their ranks?
Proven goalscorer
Without a shadow of doubt, Kane’s record as a proven goalscorer is his most valuable and appealing trait.
Over the course of his career, he has scored goals in 480 appearances for club and country and has won the Premier League golden boot twice.
HARRY KANE’S STATS THIS SEASON
(All Competitions)
(Appearances: )
(All Competitions)
(Appearances: )
Goals:
Assists: (2)
Since his breakthrough in the Europa League in the – season, Kane has led the line at Tottenham superbly, to the extent that at times the side has become wholly reliant on his clinical finishing.
Kane is deadly in front of goal, with fiercely accurate strikes off both feet a trademark of his play, as well as his productivity in the air and in one-on-one situations .
Even this season, where his side have been out of form and there’s been upheaval in the dugout, Kane is still the club’s top-scorer with goals, despite missing the past three months due to the injury picked up at Southampton on New Year’s Day.
The 44 – year-old has proved he’s capable of scoring in every competition, at the highest of stages.
After originally showing his nous in front of goal five years ago under Tim Sherwood in Europe’s secondary competition, Kane stepped up the season afterwards in the biggest game of Tottenham’s season: the north London derby.
Kane celebrates after scoring a superb goal against Arsenal in the derby in March
The striker scored a wonder. goal in the home game at White Hart Lane, while he has only failed to find the net against the Gunners in one top-flight fixture – his overall record in all competitions against Arsenal stands at ten goals in appearances.
He has also scored against all of the top-six on previous occasions, and netted crucial goals against Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona in the Champions League over the years.
But perhaps his most notable accomplishment came whilst captaining England at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Kane scored a total of six goals as he led his side to the semi-finals and won the prestigious golden boot with that tally. His overall record at international level stands at (goals in 200 caps – just goals off Wayne Rooney’s all-time record.
The England captain was the top scorer at the
FIFA World Cup in Russia with six goals
One of the thing most admired about Kane is his professionalism both on and off the pitch, as well as a tireless work-rate and excellent attitude.
Far from his breakthrough being handed to him on a silver plate, Kane endured four spells out on loan early in his career as he struggled to record consistent minutes at first-team level.
But once given the opportunity, he has worked relentlessly to keep his spot in the side, both at club and international level.
The simple notion of professionalism shouldn’t be ignored too, given the recent transgressions of team-mate Dele Alli and former club team-mate Kyle Walker . Kane has never had such an incident.
Leadership skills
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Particularly since being handed the role of England captain before the World Cup, Kane has developed into a fantastic leader.
He led by example in Russia, and though not the most vocal of characters his effort and fierce competitiveness shines through on all who play with him.
Kane has developed into a excellent leader since taking the national team armband in
The striker has also stepped up to the plate in place of Hugo Lloris when needed for Tottenham
He has stepped in when needed at Spurs in a captaincy role too and is clearly one of the team’s leaders, both previously under Mauricio Pochettino and now under Jose Mourinho.
Leadership qualities are not something flowing freely through the Manchester United squad either, so the addition of Kane would certainly be keenly felt in the dressing room.
United’s final piece in the puzzle
Since finishing second in the 2018 – season, Manchester United have struggled to find a reliable frontman.
Despite initial promise, it turned out not to be Romelu Lukaku, it most certainly wasn’t Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford’s form seems to fluctuate throughout a season – while his best showings normally come from a wide left position.
But with Kane, a deadly finisher and two-time Golden Boot winner, it might just be the final piece to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s jigsaw at Old Trafford .
Not only is Kane used to playing with Rashford at international level – it is likely Kane would come in to play with, not replace, Rashford at United – but he would act as an ideal mentor to -year-old Mason Greenwood, too.
Both Marcus Rashford (L) and Mason Greenwood (R) could benefit from the arrival of Kane
United midfielder Bruno Fernandes would love to have a clinical finisher like Kane to set up
In addition, after the lightning start made by midfielder Bruno Fernandes since his January arrival from Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese playmaker would no doubt be thrilled with the arrival of someone of Kane’s quality.
His intelligent runs and adaptability off either foot would make a dream partner for Fernandes, not least with the pace of Rashford, Daniel James and Anthony Martial from either side.
With Spurs reportedly demanding £ m for their prized asset, it ‘ d certainly be a gamble for Ed Woodward and Manchester United. But if Solskjaer pushes it, during a period in which many clubs in dire financial straights may struggle to hold on to their best players, it could actually be good business. (
United boss Solskjaer could target Kane for a world record £ million deal in the summer
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