Chelsea and Man Utd named as potential Harry Kane buyers as Liverpool 'priority target' revealed

There is now just a handful of games left in this turbulent Premier League season and the huge outcomes of the title race and relegation battle are still not yet set in stone. How the table looks at the end of the campaign could heavily impact how each club fares on the transfer market once the summer window opens.

As the rumour mill continues to churn out new links and stories, we’ve taken a dive into some of the latest headlines and given our take.

Pundit claims Kane wants Premier League return

Harry Kane’s blockbuster exit from Tottenham Hotspur always seemed inevitable as some point. Despite being regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, the 30-year-old is still yet to win a single major trophy in his career.

His move to Bayern Munich cost an impressive £82 million, according to new reports, and it looked set in stone that Kane would win his first trophy with a team that has dominated its league for more than a decade. But with 13 points now between Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen, the newly branded ‘Kane Jinx’ seems to have snared the Bavarians, who have relinquished their crown after 12 consecutive years on the throne.

Former England striker Stan Collymore has weighed in on Kane’s situation in Germany and believes a move back to the Premier League could be on the cards after just one season away.

“I think secretly he wants to come home, and if you were Manchester United, potentially with a new manager and under new ownership, the signing of Kane would represent cache and intent,” he wrote in his CaughtOffside column.

“Chelsea also could use not only his goals but his experience to help the young pups along. I thought earlier on this season that he should stay and fight Bayer next season to get the title back but I’m particularly warming to Kane to Chelsea.

“They have the cash, it’s his city and they desperately need some calm heads around the place, people you can rely on. They don’t come calmer than Kane and the fact he knows Pochettino so well may be the focus that the manager and owner need to get the Blues back firing towards that top four.”

The 3AM Verdict: It’s almost unbelievable that Kane joins a team on a 12-year title winning streak and they lose in such a manner that it’s not even close. Even with his 33 goals this season, it hasn’t been enough to put Bayern within touching distance of Leverkusen. The club would command a very handsome fee for Kane if they were to cash in this summer, and as suggested by Collymore, clubs like Chelsea and Man United would hugely benefit from his clinical nature in front of goal.

Both English clubs are having disappointing seasons for their usual standards and they have been tipped to undergo hefty transformations this summer. The axe is expected to be swung for both sides and new investments are being eyeballed. United, who were previously linked with Kane during his final season with Spurs, have the lowest goal return in the top half of the current table with just 47 scored. Relegation-threatened Luton Town have scored the same amount. With a new era on the horizon for the Reds, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co reopen the talks over a move for Kane.

Liverpool ‘priority target’ revealed

Liverpool are due to enter an exciting but uncertain new chapter once the 2023/24 season comes to a close. Not only will a new manager step into the Jurgen Klopp-shaped hole at the hilt, Michael Edwards has returned alongside new sporting director Richard Hughes to oversee a transfer window that will hopefully springboard the Reds into a positive new season.

One of Liverpool’s biggest problems this season has been the amount of injuries tearing through their squad. Nearly all of Klopp’s senior defenders have suffered spells on the sidelines this season, often leaving the likes of Joe Gomez to play out of position in order to plug the gaps. Now, according to Football Insider, the Reds have identified their ‘priority target’ for the summer, and it will be a left-sided centre-back.

Some talks have been doing the rounds over whether this is Virgil van Dijk’s last season in red but regardless of where his future lies, Liverpool plan on bolstering their options across the backline.

The 3AM Verdict: Liverpool’s injuries this season have been a warning shot to the recruitment board as we enter the transfer window. The Reds have been left far too vulnerable at the back throughout this title-challenging campaign and reinforcements are needed regardless of who stays or leaves. If reports of van Dijk leaving turn out to carry some weight, Liverpool need a natural leader to fill his shoes, as losing Klopp and the captain will only add to feelings of uneasiness.