The £22 million signing who Spurs must fight to keep as Harry Kane transfer saga continues

Tottenham Hotspur are in a transfer window tough spot right now and there will be no real rating of how well they’ve managed their business until it closes and we discover where Harry Kane’s future lies. At the moment, it’s very much a grey area as Spurs desperately try to convince their star striker to commit to a new long-term deal, but the vultures have been circling and it’s only a matter of time before one of them swoops in.

Bayern Munich are currently the front-runners for Kane’s signature and they are doing all they can to try and strike a deal with the Premier League side. The Bavarians have even put as many as seven senior players up for sale as they look to gather up the £100 million asking price attached to the England captain.

Manchester United were also heavily linked with a move for Kane, and at one point were viewed as the favourites to lure him away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But Spurs’ deeply-sunk claws and their asking price proved to be an unrealistic target for the Red Devils, who eventually pulled out of the race.

New reports have claimed that Paris Saint-Germain are now fixated on hijacking Bayern’s pursuit of the striker as they too are serious about signing him this summer. It’s rapidly turning into one of the most thrilling transfer stories in recent years, and it’s all happening during Ange Postecoglou’s first few weeks as manager of Spurs.

The former Celtic and Australia national team boss is now at the hilt of the North London outfit and is ready for his first season in the Premier League. Will his tenure be marred if Kane leaves on his watch? Hardly, he’ll simply have to make do without the 29-year-old’s huge presence in front of goal, which he has never worked with before, so there’s no real pressure there for the new boss.

The same perhaps can’t be said for Daniel Levy, though. The chairman has admitted he is aware that letting Kane go would make him a very unpopular figure amongst the fans, despite the fact they have brought in some impressive new signings already.

Spurs have opened up their summer portfolio by opting to make their loan deals with Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro permanent. They also acquired goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli and beat several Premier League rivals to the signature of James Maddison after he faced relegation with Leicester City. The idea that all this work might be overlooked if Kane leaves is a bit of stretch — of course, it will mark the emotional end of an inspirational and iconic era at Spurs, but it is the nature of the game.

If Kane simply does not want to stay, then the club must pocket as much money as they can through his sale. Sometimes, there is really nothing that can be done to change a player’s mind who is set on a new chapter somewhere else. What Spurs must do though, is hold onto other stars who could become part of a huge ripple effect started by a Kane departure.

And we’re talking about Heung-min Son here. He is easily one of the deadliest attackers in the Premier League when he’s in top form and Tottenham really can’t afford to be losing him as well as their all-time top goalscorer.

If Kane leaves, the likelihood of them signing a like-for-like replacement in the same window is very slim, especially while they do not have European football to look forward to next season. The likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea are all in the market for goalscorers as well right now, so the competition is high and Spurs are at an immediate disadvantage after their disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

Last season, Kane’s goal return was unbelievable — 32 alongside an extra five assists. Behind him was Son with 14 goals and six assists across all competitions, a superb tally for a winger but surprisingly, way off his usual best. In the 2021/22 season, the South Korean notched 24 goals and ten assists, and 22 goals, 17 assists before that.

In fact, Son’s maiden season for Spurs in 2015/16 was the only time he did not reach double goalscoring figures. In his eight years at the club, the 31-year-old has notched a total of 145 goals and 80 assists. He shared the Premier League Golden Boot in 2022 with Mohamed Salah, becoming the first Asian player in the history of the competition to win the award.

Son signed for Spurs for £22 million eight years ago and he has certainly paid off his transfer fee, and then some.

Son is a real talent and truly one of Spurs’ most important and influential players. He could soon be the team’s main focal point in attack, which is a role no other player in the squad looks even remotely capable of filling in the event of Kane’s departure. If the England captain does opt to leave Tottenham, Son will become the star of the show, the torch will be passed and fans will be relying on him to win games with his goals.

Even if Postecoglou manages to poach a new striker, the odds of them scoring close to Kane’s 32 goals last season are extremely slim. Any new attacker will need the guidance and creative support of an experienced superstar like Son, especially if the player comes from overseas or has little experience under his belt.

Of course, nothing is confirmed regarding Kane’s future — he could decide to commit his future to Spurs and retire the ultimate legend. But regardless of what he chooses to do, Tottenham still need to make Son one of their main priorities. Regardless of whether Kane leaves or not, Son is a crucial asset to this side and the club must do what they can to keep him for as long as possible.