Man Utd need to push the boat out for Kane: Tottenham’s record goalscorer is final piece of the Ten Hag puzzle
Harry Kane’s trademark finish against Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday gave his team a crucial victory in their pursuit of a top-four finish and saw him overtake Jimmy Greaves as the club’s all-time record goalscorer with 267 to his name from 416 games.
It is undoubtedly a remarkable achievement from the 29-year-old, who also became only the third player in history to reach 200 Premier League goals, after Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.
The problem is, Kane has nothing else noteworthy on his CV. He may be the greatest player to ever grace the pitch for Spurs, but he doesn’t have a single piece of silverware to show for his efforts.
Two years ago, City tried and failed to bring Kane to the Etihad Stadium. That decision ensured he missed out on becoming a Premier League title winner, as Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the 2021-22 trophy for their fourth domestic crown in the last five years.
City have moved on, with goalscoring machine Erling Haaland now leading the line, but their cross-city rivals Manchester United still have a No.9 gap that needs plugging.
And plugging it with Kane would make a lot of sense.
It has been reported that United hold a strong interest in Kane, whose current contract at Spurs is due to expire in June 2024. He has given very little away regarding his future, but has admitted that a lack of tangible success in north London continues to serve as a major source of frustration.
Pressed on whether extension talks with Spurs are now underway, Kane said last month: “There’s not been much talking, to be totally honest. I’m sure there will be conversations over the coming months. I know there’s probably going to be rumours and a lot of talk about my future. But I’m just focused on what I can do.
“Of course, I want to win trophies with Tottenham Hotspur and that’s been my goal ever since I started playing first-team football with them. It hasn’t happened, I’ve been open about that, but I’ll continue to try and achieve that.”
Six months ago, Old Trafford wasn’t the most attractive option, but Erik ten Hag has gradually transformed United back into a top side. A combination of superb man-management and shrewd recruitment choices have lifted the club out of the depths of despair and towards a bright future that promises to include trophies.
For someone of such undeniable quality to end his career without at least one or two trophies in his cabinet is unthinkable. Kane deserves his big move this year, and United will hope a cut-price deal can be done as he enters the final 12 months of his current contract.
Rashford has shouldered the main scoring burden at Old Trafford admirably this season, but he will not be the long-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo – who left the club under a cloud of controversy in November.
Ten Hag needs Kane for United to start scaling the dizzy heights of the Sir Alex Ferguson era once again, and Kane needs United if he is serious about winning trophies. It’s a match made in heaven.