Man United could land perfect £77m player for free but face Marcus Rashford headache
Premier League star is ready to threaten to quit Tottenham on a free transfer in a bid to push through a move to Bayern Munich this summer, according to reports. Just as he tried and failed to join Manchester City in 2021, when multiple bids were rejected, Kane is keen to leave Spurs again in the coming weeks but this time Germany is his desired destination.
Daniel Levy is yet again standing in the way of a deal as he demands at least £100million for Kane to head to Bayern Munich, a fee that makes it difficult for the Bundesliga champions to broker an agreement. Unless Bayern get much closer to Spurs’ valuation that could mean the centre-forward, 30 later this month, sees out the final year of his contract and instead departs as a free agent in 2024.
If Bayern do not pay what Spurs want, the likelihood of Kane – valued at £77m by Transfermarkt – being convinced to sign a new deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite a new era with Ange Postecoglou in charge, is remote. And that is where Manchester United come in.
Bayern being unable to sign Kane this summer would open up the field for clubs to pursue Kane on a free transfer for next year. And given he is one of the Premier League’s greatest ever goalscorers and has the ability to operate at a world-class level deep into his 30s, signing Kane for nothing (despite huge wages and the signing-on fee) would be great business even in 12 months’ time.
However United, like Bayern, still need a striker immediately. Marcus Rashford scored nearly one-third of the team’s goals last season with his haul of 30. Bruno Fernandes was the only other player to manage double digits. With a return to the Champions League this coming campaign, the Red Devils need to ease their reliance on their academy product.
That is where the headache would come for Erik ten Hag. He is currently looking at Randal Kolo Muani and Rasmus Hojlund as options this summer but neither are in the elite bracket, at least yet, that Kane fits into yet they will still cost considerable sums. So much in fact that United may have to compromise and sign a cheaper new goalkeeper rather than Andre Onana from Inter Milan.
Would the Dutchman be willing to sign one of Hojlund or Kolo Muani, which will use up the majority of his current budget, only to then bring Kane in as the No 1 striker 12 months later? Given his ambitions to win titles, you could argue that is precisely the kind of strength in depth that United need.
Kane is exactly what this United team needs. In an ideal world they would sign him right now. But the club withdrew their interest before the window opened due to Spurs’ immense valuation. It is a fee which they simply cannot afford to pay, even more so now after signing Mason Mount from Chelsea for £55m rising to £60m.
With goals the top priority this summer but a top-tier forward like Kane or Victor Osimhen out of reach financially, it is likely United will sign a younger cheaper forward like Kolo Muani or Hojlund or a name that has yet to be linked. Having Kane – who could have a Robin van Persie-esque impact at Old Trafford – then come in in 12 months later would then be a dream.
Kane would be the perfect foil for Rashford given the partnership he has enjoyed with Son Heung-min which is officially the most devastating and productive attacking combination in the history of the Premier League. But United play plenty enough games so that another forward would still get minutes even if the Spurs talisman arrived in Manchester.
Everything of course depends on Bayern. If they table a fee suitable for Spurs, they are the best destination for him to reluctantly leave for because they’re not a domestic rival. But if the Bavarians refuse to pay the price, United will be lurking with intent – and it’s easy to see how getting Kane on a free could go down as one of the greatest signings in their history.
Yet at the same time Ten Hag needs to get it right this summer, whether Kane is going for free or not. United can ill afford to spend big on an attacker who fails to succeed, and they preferably want one capable of foregoing an adaptation period and having a major impact from the get-go. What a shame Kane is available for nothing this summer.
