Tottenham won’t sell stars like Harry Kane this summer, vows chairman Daniel Levy
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has moved to reassure fans that they will resist any offers from Europe’s biggest clubs for record-breaking marksman Harry Kane this summer.
Kane’s relentless goalscoring has made the England striker one of the game’s hottest properties and Real Madrid, who paid £85m to prise Gareth Bale from White Hart Lane in 2013, are known to be admirers.
He appeared to leave the door open to a possible transfer earlier this week when he said his willingness to stay at Spurs would depend on their ability to win silverware.
Read more: Kane: Tottenham must win trophies in order to keep me
Tottenham, who have been hit by spiralling costs in the construction of their new stadium, could demand around £150m for Kane if they were to choose to cash in on their prize asset.
But Levy effectively ruled out that prospect on Thursday when he insisted that the north Londoners would not be tempted to sell Kane or other stars such as midfielder Dele Alli and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
“I’m 100 per cent confident every single player that we want to keep I can assure you will be playing for Tottenham Hotspur next season,” Levy told Sky Sports.
Kane has scored at least 30 for club and country for four seasons in a row and in 2017 set a new Premier League record for goals scored in a calendar year, striking 39 times.
That pedigree and Kane’s contract situation – he is tied to Spurs until 2022 – mean he could reasonably be expected to fetch at least as much as the £142m Barcelona paid Liverpool for Philippe Coutinho this week.
Levy has previously sanctioned the big-money departures of fan favourites Bale and Luka Modric, also to Real. He also sold right-back Kyle Walker to Manchester City in a £50m deal last summer.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has previously sold stars to Real Madrid (Source: Getty)
Home-grown hero Kane has repeatedly underlined his commitment to Spurs and manager Mauricio Pochettino on Sunday talked up hopes that he could remain a one-club man in the mould of Roma’s Francesco Totti.
The 24-year-old gave potential suitors a sliver of encouragement at the weekend, however, when he hinted at an impatience to win medals. “As long as the club keep doing that then I’m happy here,” he said. Tottenham’s last trophy was the League Cup in 2008.
Spurs have twice been forced to revise the original £400m budget for their new stadium, adjacent to White Hart Lane, with the project, due for completion this year, now expected to cost around £1bn.
Levy said Spurs were open to making signings this month but played down the likelihood.
“Mauricio’s strategy has always been that if an opportunity arises that he thinks can improve the squad then we are more than willing to look at it, but January is always a very difficult window,” he added.
Read more: Pochettino: Harry Kane can be Tottenham’s Francesco Totti