'I owned a football club I'd want Levy to run it' - Crouch defends Tottenham chairman amid Kane transfer battle

Peter Crouch has defended Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy amid the ongoing transfer battle involving Harry Kane.

Kane has spent the last 12 years of his career on Tottenham's books, but has been tipped to move on to a new challenge before the end of the transfer window with Manchester City reportedly readying a record-breaking bid.

The England international has been open about his ambitions to win the biggest trophies in the game and he would likely have more opportunities to do so at Etihad Stadium, but Levy won't let him go without a fight.

What's been said?

It has been reported that the Spurs chief will only sanction Kane's departure if City submit an offer of £150 million ($205m) or more, with Crouch of the opinion that his stubborn stance is in the best interest of the club.

The former Tottenham striker witnessed just how tough a negotiator Levy can be when he was sold to Stoke City 10 years ago, and he has drawn similarities between his situation at the time and the one Kane currently finds himself in.

"Deadline Day, August 2011. I am sitting with Harry Redknapp in his office. Daniel Levy is on loudspeaker. The conversation is not going well," Crouch wrote in his latest column for the Daily Mail. "Daniel says that I'm off to the Potteries. I go home, upset at how the talks had transpired.

"I loved it at Stoke and spent eight happy years there but initially I didn't fancy it. Negotiating at Spurs is not easy and Harry Kane will have found that recently. The hours ticked by and Daniel later calls with even more certainty. I wouldn't be receiving a squad number and I'll be training with the kids.

"There are no hard feelings. If I owned a football club, I'd want Daniel to run it for me. Kane has looked to progress his career for some time and City are willing to spend serious money. With me, their view was that they'd used me and now I was out.

"With Kane, it is the opposite — they are not done with him — but the tough conversations will be similar. A lot of people don't see both sides of things. They are always very quick to blame the player.

"A lot has been made of the gentleman's agreement, and although you hope those are honoured in everybody's best interests, we have to be honest and appreciate that there is just too much money at stake for any of that in the modern world. 

"Unfortunately, that is the nature of the beast. From my experiences, it is hard to take anything in the game at face value. It's cut-throat. You're traded as commodities rather than people."

Will Kane leave Spurs?

City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that they could still bring in a new forward before the August 31 transfer deadline, but it remains to be seen whether the club will break the British record for a second time after splashing £100m ($137m) on Jack Grealish earlier this summer.

Kane still has three years left on his contract at Tottenham, and made his first appearance of the season for Nuno Espirito Santo's side from the bench in a 1-0 win at Wolves on Sunday.

Santo gave an update on the Spurs captain after the game, telling BBC Sport: “He is getting back to his fitness. He still has to improve and he helped the team today. He is one of the best players in the world. We are very lucky to have him." 

Further reading

• Guardiola makes City spending admission amid Kane talk

• Kane makes first Spurs appearance of season amid transfer talk

• Nuno gives update on Kane as Man City rumours rage on