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Tottenham Hotspur will not sell Harry Kane to a direct Premier League rival.
This decision comes amid numerous reports that Manchester United have earmarked the England striker for a summer hit, with Erik ten Hag keen on a reliable striker.
Kane will enter the final year of his contract with the Lilywhites over the summer and may have to deal with breaking Alan Shearer’s record as a Spurs player if Daniel Levy’s decision stands.
Over the weekend, the 29-year-old made history when he scored his 267th goal for Tottenham and became the club’s all-time goalscorer, surpassing Jimmy Greaves.
His goal against Manchester City on Sunday was also his 200th Premier League goal, taking him 60 shy of Shearer’s record in that competition.
Kane has stated in the past his desire to do one better than Shearer and break the record.
According to The Times, Tottenham’s stance of not selling an opponent like United has led the Red Devils to make Napoli’s Victor Osimhen the club’s number one target.
The Times reports: “Kane has hinted that he is open to reviving contract negotiations in the coming months; No negotiations have taken place since his failed bid to join Manchester City, to satisfy his desire to win trophies, in the summer of 2021.”
“Tottenham have never wanted to sell it to a rival. Manchester United, who have been linked with the England captain, have bad memories of dealing with the north London club since they signed Dimitar Berbatov and targeted Victor Osimhen from Napoli.
“If Tottenham were willing to sell Kane abroad, where there could be interest from both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid if Mauricio Pochettino takes over, such a move would have an impact on their stated aim of breaking Shearer’s record.” .
The Times adds that Kane’s willingness to stay at Spurs will be less likely if the north London club ends the season without a trophy.
Another factor to take into account is where is the immediate future of Antonio Conte. If the Italian manager leaves, Kane’s decision to stay in London could be put to the test.
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