Harry Kane may have to consider leaving Tottenham in order to fulfil his ambition of landing major silverware, claims Dimitar Berbatov.
Back in 2008, one star striker on the books in north London decided that he needed a move in order to compete for the biggest prizes in world football.
Berbatov traded life at Spurs for that at Manchester United and went on to become a Premier League title winner.
He has now suggested that Kane may have to tread a similar path, with Tottenham having so far been unable to deliver tangible success for the England captain.
Mauricio Pochettino is doing all he can to end a barren run, with more big-money arrivals expected on transfer deadline day, but exits are also being mooted as experienced figures begin to look for new challenges.
Berbatov told The Sun on the future of a prolific frontman: “Someone needs to ask Harry Kane about what he will do if Spurs don’t win a trophy this season.
“Coming from that point of view, and I’ve been in those shoes, the moment comes when you play for a team for a while and you don’t win anything.
“At the same time you see other colleagues that you are playing with in the national team, and they are winning trophies.
Getty“You get jealous, in a good way. You’re like ‘I want to be part of that’.
“You start asking all these questions and at one moment nothing changes, you change the environment, you change the club.
“It’s a tough decision because fans will be disappointed — and so will the coach.
“What is that ambition telling him? Stay here and try to win trophies for my club that I’m captain of. Or find a new challenge where you need to test yourself.
“The question is, if he moves, for example to Manchester United, is he going to be playing with better players and scoring more?
“I was thinking about that when I moved.
“Every player who wants to achieve and develop and grow as a player is thinking about that.
“You’re sitting at home, you’re watching a game, big players, big teams are playing and you think ‘what if I was there, am I going to score more goals?’
“It’s normal to think like this.
“Then you start thinking ‘Well I stay here because I’m in the place that I know, I’m comfortable’.
“You need to choose — test yourself or stay in the same place? Trust me, it’s a complicated situation.”
Kane is tied to a long-term contract through to 2024 and, after recording 164 goals in just 253 appearances for Spurs, has offered no indication that he is considering a switch elsewhere.