Tottenham may see their hand forced by Harry Kane at some stage if Real Madrid and Manchester United rumours persist, Christian Ziege has warned.
The England international striker continues to see his profile rise around the world on the back of his remarkable goal-scoring exploits at Spurs.
Having forged a reputation as one of the Premier League’s finest frontmen, with back-to-back Golden Boots secured, Kane is a now a superstar on the global stage.
His efforts in 2017 saw him better Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi with 56 goals for club and country, and Ziege believes mounting interest will spark the 24-year-old’s curiosity at some stage.
The former Germany international, who spent three years at White Hart Lane in his playing days, told ESPN FC: “Obviously, he's scoring goals for fun.
“He's a strong striker and it depends a bit on him and if he wants to leave.
“He has the option to change [clubs] in the Premier League or if he wants to have experience away from the Premier League. At some stage, if he wants to move on, it will be difficult to keep him.”
While warning that Kane could be tempted to leave, Ziege remains confident that Tottenham – as Premier League title hopefuls and regulars in the Champions League – could find a suitable successor.
He added: “You should always think that one player does not make a club. Obviously, he's a good player, but it's always the same story. For example, you can lose a fantastic goalkeeper and then all of sudden, you find a new one.
“In this case, Spurs might lose a great striker and then find a new one. There's always coming and going and a chance for the next one who's coming.”
For now, Kane – who has also been heavily linked with Manchester United in recent transfer windows – is fully focused on events in north London.
He already has 24 goals to his name this season, including 18 in the Premier League, and has a World Cup to look forward to in the summer - with it possible that he could head to Russia as England captain.
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