Kane to Man Utd: Spurs striker would be perfect for Solskjaer's side but is a transfer really possible?

When Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was asked if stopping Harry Kane was something he'd have to discuss with his defenders ahead of Sunday's clash with Tottenham, he broke out into a smile.

“Yeah, of course, it is! When you're playing against one of the best centre forwards in European football, of course it’s something that we prepare for," the Norwegian told reporters.

"I think every team when they play Tottenham or England, you know all about Harry Kane's qualities."

Indeed, nobody needs to tell United about the striker's talent. In an ideal world, they would sign him this summer. 

Kane has scored 29 goals in 41 games this season, with 10 arriving in his last 10 games. In short, he is exactly the kind of lethal finisher that this United side is crying out for.

They have plenty of attacking talent in their ranks, of course, but a No.9 who can score over 30 goals a season is something they have not possessed since Robin van Persie hit that figure in 2012-13.

Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood have both improved this term with their movement and finishing but there is still work to be done, especially when it comes to their decision-making.

And while Kane prepares to hit 20 league goals for the season, United’s centre forward Anthony Martial will be lucky to add to his tally of four having been sidelined with a knee injury.

United’s interest in Kane is nothing new, of course. He’s had plenty of admirers at Old Trafford in the past, and still does. 

Now, with speculation increasing that Kane could push to leave Tottenham if Jose Mourinho's side fail to qualify for next season's Champions League, United are being linked with the England international once again.

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United are certainly looking to sign a goalscorer, but so are Manchester City, who are looking to replace the outgoing Sergio Aguero, and Chelsea, given Timo Werner's struggles this season, and Kane and Erling Haaland are obviously the most coveted No.9s on the market.

And when you consider that the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are also looking to strengthen their forward lines, you begin to get an idea of just how difficult it will be for United to land a world-class striker.

There is no denying that a prolific No.9 would add a whole other dimension to United's game.

You only have to look at the instant impact Edinson Cavani had upon his arrival to see the benefits of having such a player. 

The Uruguayan brought a focal point to an attack that sometimes lacks direction but he seems set to depart this summer. And besides, Kane, or Haaland, would take things to a whole other level.

So, what are the chances of Kane becoming available?

“I always like to be focused on one goal and one job, and that’s to finish strong with Spurs, and then hopefully go on and have a great Euros,” Kane said last month.

“Look, I try to stay out of that speculation as much as possible. I’m fully focused on doing the job on the pitch from now until the end of the summer and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

The 27-year-old clearly has a big decision to make. Does he stay at Spurs and establish himself as their all-time leading goal scorer or head off in pursuit of trophies and personal glory elsewhere?

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Of course, the bigger question is arguably would Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy really be willing to sell his most prized possession leave? And even if he were, he would doubtless demand a colossal fee.

Last summer, when United were also tipped to make a move for Kane, club sources dismissed the idea that they would spend £200 million ($275m) on any player.

The pandemic has affected the finances of even the richest clubs in Europe and while that could see Kane’s price reduced, he would still command a fee of more than £100m ($137m) and that's before we get into the debate over whether Levy would really sell to a Premier League rival.

So, while United remain keen admirers of Kane's talent, they are likely to remain just that. They’ll get a reminder of his all-round excellence on Sunday but United will be confident of picking up a win in north London.

They may have been routed 6-1 at home by Mourinho's side earlier in the season but United have improved significantly since then. In-form defensive duo Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof will be quietly confident of nullifying Tottenham's No.10.

Of course, a victory over Tottenham would further cement United’s position in the top four with seven games remaining. 

And once Champions League football is secured, they can really ramp up their transfer plans for next season. 

Kane may be out of reach but a striker will be high on Solskjaer's list of priorities as he looks to turn his improving side into legitimate title challengers.