Speaking on the latest episode of The View From The Lane podcast (March 17), The Athletic’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Jack Pitt-Brooke says Spurs striker Harry Kane “isn’t as good as he was three years ago”.
What did he say?
Well, Pitt-Brooke and fellow podcast contributors James Maw and Charlie Eccleshare were talking about the north London potentially selling one of Kane, Dele Alli or Son Heung-min to raise funds ahead of the summer transfer window.
While the journalist said he wouldn’t sell the England captain if he was chairman Daniel Levy, one of the reasons is that he believes the 26-year-old isn’t as good or worth as much as he was just a few seasons ago.
Pitt-Brooke said (24:26): “I also think he’s not as valuable as he was three years ago. Three years ago, I think if you really wanted to rebuild the team, you get City, United or Real Madrid to pay £200m for him. I’m not sure that market exists for Kane right now. I just don’t think he’s as good as he was three years ago.”
Is Pitt-Brooke right?
It’s a tough one.
Kane netted 35 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions in 2016/17, while he scored 41 in 48 the following season.
Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?
When you compare it to this term, he has 17 in 25 having been out of action since New Year’s Day having suffered a hamstring injury during the defeat against Southampton.
The centre-forward may not have been as prolific as he has been previously, but to be fair Spurs are also enduring their worst campaign for a number of years at the same time – perhaps he deserves to be cut some slack for that reason.
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Indeed, The Telegraph reported earlier this month that Tottenham actually face a battle to keep hold of the Three Lions star because of his career ambitions, with missing out on Champions League qualification a real possibility if and when the 2019/20 season resumes.
The same report said that Kane is valued at more than £150m by them, but as per Pitt-Brooke’s comments it appears they would be lucky to attract any offers around that number.
In other Tottenham news, Alasdair Gold has suggested a £40m-rated Premier League “player knows Mourinho well” as a potential summer target…