Harry Kane linked with world-record summer transfer to Old Trafford; Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp discuss England captain's future on The Football Show
Monday 13 April 2020 15:23, UK
Gary Neville says Harry Kane would be a perfect signing for Manchester United, while Jamie Redknapp believes Kane could "explore other avenues" if Spurs fail to progress.
Sky Sports News has been told that Tottenham have no intention of selling Kane to Manchester United, with the Old Trafford club reportedly one of the front-runners for his signature.
Reports have suggested Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is willing to sanction Kane's departure to United for a world-record fee of £200m because of financial worries during the coronavirus crisis.
Neville believes Manchester United's reported interest in the England captain is typical of the club, who often chase homegrown stars.
"Any club in the Premier League would want Harry Kane," he told The Football Show on Sky Sports News. "There are some signings that are like gold, where you just know they are going to work. Harry Kane is unbreakable in the sense of his mentality. He'll always score goals, will always give 100 per cent in training, and is completely reliable as a manager would want.
"For Manchester United, it would be a perfect signing in terms of what they need," he explained. "They had Bruno Fernandes come in and he's done a great job, Harry Maguire at the back. If they can get someone like Kane up front, you're looking at a fantastic spine."
He added: "It fits Manchester United's historical transfers, going back to Brian Robson, Roy Keane, trying to sign Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney.
"They were the best or most famous English, British or Irish players in the Premier League and Manchester United tried to sign that player so it does fit with that. Just look at what Manchester United did last summer with Harry Maguire, who was one of the best players on the mark.
"In terms of Kane, I did work with him for England. He's a clever lad and he's not somebody who would get caught out if he didn't want to say something. The little opening if the door that he left in that Instagram piece with Jamie was probably something that had something in it.
"I also don't think Kane would have been that impressed with his club a couple of weeks ago with what they did [using the Government's Job Retention Scheme and furloughing staff]. Kane is a good lad, a solid lad and he wouldn't have taken that particularly well and he's probably just poking them back. In my mind, I think he would have been warning them and saying 'just be careful because I'm watching you and it's not something that we do'."
Having recently hosted an Instagram live with Kane, Sky Sports pundit Redknapp believes the striker could look at other options if Tottenham do not begin challenging for silverware.
He said: "Golden Boots are great and he loves the fact that he's got a lot of individual accolades but he will want to win trophies with his team.
"If he doesn't feel like they are progressing the way that he wants - he wouldn't push for a move or do anything that's too desperate - but he would want to explore other avenues. It's alright having an amazing stadium and a good fanbase, but he will want to see Tottenham challenging for big trophies.
"There will be other clubs right now, Manchester United have been spoken about, who would love someone like Kane. He's an incredible player and a really good guy, the sort of person you would want around your dressing room."
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has come under criticism for placing non-playing staff on furlough - himself included - and utilising the Government's Job Retention Scheme, rather than using funds within the club to help support staff.
Speaking about the decision, Redknapp said: "Kane would have been extremely disappointed with how Tottenham have acted but I have to be honest, having been around Tottenham and played for them, it didn't surprise me how Levy acted in this. You learn a lot about someone in difficult times and he was one of the first to furlough staff. There's no doubt at all that Kane would have been disappointed with that, but I certainly wasn't surprised.
"He [Levy] gives me a lot of opportunities [to have a pop at him]. I've got nothing against him, and some people have levelled that it's because he sacked my dad. It was such a long time ago, and I have to be honest - a lot's happened since then. I just feel at times they don't act like a big club and the club that they should be.
"Other clubs have done it... Newcastle, Norwich, I get that. But Tottenham? No, I know their finances - they've got plenty of money behind them, and it just didn't sit right with me. There's been plenty of times where [I questioned the way] they looked after players and staff when I was there... it was very disappointing and unfortunately it's arisen again.
"I think Daniel's a really good businessman in terms of negotiating, it's very difficult at times, and that's why you see a lot of players unhappy there and a lot of players wanting to leave. I just feel the club, the fans they deserve better than what they get sometimes.
"Yes, he's spent a lot of money on the stadium and the training ground, but I feel if they really wanted to push on, they've had that opportunity and the ability to do so.
"Daniel Levy hasn't wanted to press the button because he doesn't really want to spend the money to push Tottenham onto the next level. He sometimes tries to do things on the cheap, so it's got nothing to do with being a personal thing at all."
Neville has also questioned how there can be a wave of transfer activity this summer in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has forced several clubs to furlough non-playing staff while also falling back on the Government Job Retention Scheme.
Neville told The Football Show: "These transfer discussions, whether it be Harry Kane to United for £200m or Jadon Sancho to City or United for £100m, it completely undermines the discussions the Premier League are having with the players around taking a 30 per cent pay cut.
"If you're asking for a 30 per cent pay cut across the board and you're going to spend another £1bm in two months on transfers. The Premier League spent £1.4bn last summer on transfers and the previous three summers they also spent over £1bn. If you're trying to get 30 per cent pay cuts from existing players, you may have to put a transfer embargo in place.
"If I was the PFA, and Tottenham want a 30 per cent pay cut, or Manchester United on their players, which was what was said a couple of weeks ago, then it's very difficult for the existing players then see their club do a transfer for £200m three weeks later.
"Transfers are things the fans love, and we love players moving around, but it does seem to me to be awry when we've got such a behind-the-scenes war going on with respect to players taking cuts, the clubs needing support, and then in the next breath you've got a £200m transfer speculation going on.
"That doesn't feel right to me. Premier League clubs can't stop the speculation, but there's no smoke without fire. I would suggest the Premier League to stop this would probably put a transfer embargo in place on all clubs that are looking to reduce their players' wages.
"That would take away a lot of the angst that is existing among the players behind the scenes who feel they're having the wool pulled over their eyes by the clubs."
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