Sport
Next few weeks could be pivotal in Harry Kane saga
Still struggling to shake off the heartache of Sunday night, when the most likeable and upstanding England team in a generation cruelly lost the Euro 2020 on penalties? Don’t worry, the Community Shield is but a mere three weeks away and it could be a long three weeks for anyone with a vested interest in the future of Harry Kane.
Domestic football has been far from everyone’s minds over the last month but the wheel keeps on turning. It won’t be long before we’re all arguing on Twitter about a contentious VAR penalty in Everton vs Burnley.
For Harry Kane, the end of the European Championship is particularly significant. The England captain, who converted his spot-kick in the agonising shoot-out against Italy, has been fully focused on international matters since the start of June. Kane made a slow start to the tournament, before scoring four goals in the knockout stage as England reached the final of the Euros for the first time.
He was also involved in the opening goal on Sunday, spraying a pass out to Kieran Trippier who supplied the cross for Luke Shaw to finish. After that, though, Harry Kane was quiet. The fact that he did not have a single touch in the penalty area in 120 minutes of action illustrated how deep England sank after taking the lead.
Kane will no doubt be embarking on a well-deserved holiday following the conclusion of the competition, which came after the most congested campaign in living memory. But even as the teetotal Tottenham talisman sips a coconut by the pool, he will be contemplating his future.
He wasn’t able to completely silence the rumour mill but Harry Kane decided before Euro 2020 that he wouldn’t be getting involved in any such talk until after the tournament. With the Premier League season now just a month away, we can expect interest in the Spurs striker to ramp up.
Daniel Levy, a proud Englishman, will have been desperate for Gareth Southgate’s side to bring home the trophy. But Levy had another reason to hope England would get over the line. Had they done so, it might have been easier to convince his prized asset to stay put.
Harry Kane clearly loves Tottenham but he is equally ambitious. He wants to win trophies and realises he is unlikely to do so with his current employers, who have made a real mess of the post- Pochettino era. However, had he got his hands on a piece of silverware for the first time on Sunday, Kane might have been more willing to give it another go at Tottenham. The north London side are unlikely to win the Premier League next term but the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa Conference League are realistic targets.
Even with a European Championship winner’s medal in his pocket, Kane’s appetite to win trophies wouldn’t have been sated. But England’s defeat will only intensify his desperation to be a part of a winning team. Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world and he won’t be satisfied if he ends his career empty-handed, or with the odd League Cup on his honours list.
Manchester City have already had a £100m offer for Kane turned down, but the Premier League champions could yet return with an improved bid. It is hard to see Levy doing business for any price, particularly if it would involve strengthening a domestic rival. Kane is under contract until 2024 and that gives Tottenham power.
Yet if Harry Kane himself makes it clear he wants to leave, either privately or publicly, he could force Levy’s hand. England’s defeat by Italy might ultimately be seen as a particularly painful outcome for Tottenham fans.
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