With Karim Benzema's transfer to Al-Ittihad confirmed, Harry Kane has been backed into 4/5 from 6/4 to join Real Madrid.
Harry Kane club on 03/09/2023 odds
Real will need a striker to replace Benzema, and Kane is thought to be the ideal player, though reports still suggest that Manchester United (7/1) could be Kane's preferred destination, and the link between player and club has been there for a number of years, with United seemingly in the hunt for a striker every transfer window since 2013, but nothing concrete has ever come of the rumour, though that may change in the summer.
bet365's Steve Freeth said: "Kane in Spain? It's looking more likely with the news that Karim Benzema has left Real Madrid.
"Many speculated he'd finish his career in the Premier League, chasing down Alan Shearer's record, but people are now putting two and two together in saying he's going to be chasing trophies with Real Madrid instead, with his odds tumbling from 33/1 into 4/5."
After the progress under Mauricio Pochettino that saw Tottenham become regular fixtures in the top four, challenge for a title and even reach a Champions League final, the club looks to have taken a huge backwards step with the appointments – and subsequent dismissals – of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Managing director, Fabio Paratici then received a worldwide ban from football by FIFA, prompting his resignation.
The club appears to be spiralling towards something of a crisis and with only a year left to run on his contract, Kane may finally seek an exit from North London after the failed move to Manchester City in 2021.
Spurs failed not just to reach the Champions League, but also the Europa League and Conference League, and while Old Trafford will see Champions League football once again, that could influence Kane's decision.
Kane still has time to add silverware, but it’s unthinkable a player of his talents could go his entire career without winning a single trophy, and again, with United still chasing a cup double, the offer of a move to Old Trafford surely becomes more tempting.
On the flip side, United haven’t always had the easiest time dealing with Daniel Levy. Levy called Sir Alex Ferguson hypocritical after claiming the signing of Dimitar Berbatov was imminent with Ferguson hitting back. He later described the experience as ‘more painful than my hip replacement’.
Recent reports suggested Spurs wanted £100m for Kane, which even for the free-spending United will surely be out of their price range, seeing them drift to 7/1.
A striker with a year left on his contract who has around 600 senior games on the clock, is 30 in the summer and has suffered with recurring ankle injuries (although his fitness hasn’t presented any issues the last three years) cannot be worth that much to any club, and United would hope to haggle down to around half that price, but may simply be blown out of the water by the Spanish giants.
Of course, the ball is in Tottenham’s court, and Levy may simply refuse to sell and let Kane run his contract down. He’d then be 31 by the time his contract expires and it would take a brave club to offer a three- or four-year deal, likely on big wages, at that point, and he remains 11/8 to stay in North London.
It may seem foolish to turn down a big transfer fee that could help Spurs rebuild, but the rebuilding process goes well beyond Kane. A number of prototypical Conte players have been signed and an incoming manager – whoever that may be – will want to build his own squad. That won’t come cheap with the rebuild job looking bigger by the week, and holding onto Kane for the extra season kicks the can down the road somewhat, and provides Tottenham with a world class striker who may fire them to Champions League football once more.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Club on 03/09/2023 odds:
- Harry Kane
- Declan Rice
- Mason Mount
- Victor Osimhen
- Roberto Firmino
- James Ward-Prowse
- Sadio Mane
- Harry Maguire
- Harvey Barnes
- James Maddison
- Moises Caicedo
- Neymar
View our Summer Transfer Window Live Blog here.
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