Harry Kane’s potential availability provides a dilemma for Manchester United.
Sky Sports report United are among the sides interested in signing the Tottenham star, amid his alleged desire to leave North London.
Manchester United won’t be able to help getting involved
United being linked is no surprise. Kane’s name is regularly thrown around by former stars like Paul Scholes as a player who the club should be targeting.
Kane is on course to finish the season as the league’s top scorer, with 22 league goals and 13 assists. At 27, he could turn United into title challengers.
The fear is that he signs with City and pulls them further ahead. United would hope Kane could do a Robin van Persie and swing the power back to the red half of Manchester.
A question of balance
The problem is trying to fit Harry Kane in with the club’s budget, as it means a deal for Jadon Sancho would have to be abandoned.
Edinson Cavani’s contract extension means United are set at striker for another season. But beyond that, the position needs addressing, with Cavani only extending his deal by one season.
With Cavani’s age and injuries, it is conceivable United could still pursue Kane.
Many would rather United go after Jadon Sancho, solving the long-standing issue of right wing, and rounding out the club’s squad better, to then concentrate on signing a striker in 2022.
Greenwood is the key
The key to making a move for Harry Kane work is Mason Greenwood.
Greenwood has shown he can be a real danger from the right wing, and if he is happy to play there for the next two to three seasons, then he could be the Sancho alternative, boosted by competition from Amad.
But if United have aspirations for Greenwood to develop into a central striker within a year, and take over from Cavani, then Sancho should be the priority.
Greenwood will eventually settle into the striker role, but its possible he spends three years on the right wing, and replaces Kane as a central striker after that.
If United believe he can make a quicker adjustment to striker, and play most of his game time there next season alternating with Cavani, then United can spend the money on Sancho and confidently skip the Harry Kane auction.
Kane will be expensive, but could be worth it. United’s plans for Greenwood could help define a tricky decision, either way, to spend or pass.
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