‘Ridiculous’ Harry Kane title claim from former Tottenham striker Gary Lineker draws epic ‘if my nan had wheels she would be a bicycle’ response

Former Spurs star Lineker has suggested that the north London outfit could have been contenders for the Premier League crown this season had the services of all-time leading goalscorer Kane been retained. Instead, they offloaded him to Bayern Munich in a €100 million (£86m/$108m) transfer last summer.

Kane has plundered 44 goals for German employers, while Spurs have struggled for consistency across the 2023-24 campaign – particularly in the final third, where they are the lowest scorers in the top seven. That has led Lineker to ask on The Rest is Football podcast whether “they are a better side without Harry Kane.”

Premier League title winner Micah Richards responded by saying: “Let me spin the question to you, Gary. Where did Spurs finish last season? So, if they finish better than eighth this season that would mean, it’s been great for Harry Kane. Top-scorer in the Bundesliga and it’s been great for Spurs, because they are no worse off.”

Lineker than claimed that “you never know, they might have gone on to win the league if Harry Kane stayed”. Ex-Manchester City defender Richards replied, in fits of laughter: “We don’t know that. What did Gino D’Acampo say, ‘If my nan had wheels, she would be a bicycle’. It’s a ridiculous thing to say, Gary. Tottenham have performed better, at times, without Harry Kane because they can play with pace.”

There has been talk of Kane returning to England, having missed out on elusive silverware once again at Bayern, with Tottenham having a “matching right” clause that could be triggered if another transfer door were to swing open. The expectation is, however, that the 30-year-old frontman will stick around for at least 12 more months at the Allianz Arena.