Kane and Man City running out of time to complete record-breaking transfer

Harry Kane has seemingly run out of manoeuvres to try to force through the move to Manchester City that he desperately wants.

With three years remaining on his current contract, Tottenham cannot be strong-armed into an end-of-window sale for anything less than the £160 million ($220m) they are understood to be demanding.

The England striker had few bargaining chips to begin with and the ones he has played have seemingly had no impact on the stance of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Kane appeared to prepare the path for an exit at the end of the last season when he made it clear in an interview that he wanted to play for a club that matched his ambition to compete for the biggest trophies.

A similar message has been conveyed behind closed doors to Tottenham’s hierarchy throughout the transfer saga.

Suggestions of a “gentleman’s agreement” that he would be allowed to leave after last season’s miserable campaign found its way into the public domain.

Confusion then reigned over his return from the summer break before he was deemed unavailable to face City in last weekend's Premier League opener.

He is now set to miss the Europa Conference League clash against Pacos de Ferreira on Thursday night, but with a trip to Wolves to follow three days later, Kane is fast approaching the point where he will have no option but to wear the Spurs shirt again.

City, then, are in an awkward position, with the transfer window set to close in less than two weeks' time and the club no closer to landing their No.1 target for the No.9 role.

The Premier League champions have been on the lookout for a striker since allowing Sergio Aguero to leave after 10 years at the club.

They were keen on Erling Haaland but Borussia Dortmund refused to let the Norwegian leave this summer, while Lionel Messi, a stellar alternative, left Barcelona and joined Paris Saint-Germain without City making any kind of move to reunite the Argentine with Pep Guardiola.

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“Messi not in our thoughts,” the former Blaugrana boss said ahead of the Community Shield curtain-raiser against Leicester City.

At the same press conference, though,  he confirmed his interest in Kane  – a rare move away from his normal position that transfers are for other people to worry about.

Guardiola wants a striker even if City achieved huge success without one for much of last season, with Aguero missing for long periods through injury and illness, and Gabriel Jesus struggling in front of goal.

A Premier League title and run to the Champions League final is viewed by many as one of his greatest achievements as a coach, but he might not be able to pull it off for a second season with increased competition from Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

And Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only confirmed that need for a finisher.

Kane was never going to come cheap, of course, even during a buyer's market created by the devastating financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

After a season in which he both scored and assisted more goals in the Premier League than any other player, the England international's stock is higher than ever before.

City have walked away from deals in the past when they have felt that they would not be getting value for money, turning their backs on targets such as Alexis Sanchez and Fred when Manchester United offered more.

But this summer they smashed their own club-record transfer fee, as well as British record, when they signed Jack Grealish for £100m ($139m).

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It was always expected that they would have to rewrite the history books again if they were to prise Kane away from Tottenham, who are notoriously tough negotiators.

Yet the clock is ticking on any possible deal, with Tottenham’s position becoming entrenched.

Guardiola loves quick-thinking, talented midfielders and was thrilled to add Grealish to a mouth-watering selection of options that would be the envy of almost any club in the world.

The creativity of Kevin De Bruyne, the vibrancy of Phil Foden, the guile of Ilkay Gundogan and the energy of Bernardo Silva, combined with the fluidity and flexibility of a forward line of Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus, means City do not lack creativity.

Indeed, the plan was to allow Bernardo to leave, but nobody can afford the Portugal international, meaning the English champions are likely to be ridiculously well-stocked in terms of attacking midfielders, but lacking a prolific goalscorer.

Some City fans also think that the squad is short in another area, with Benjamin Mendy failing to impress at left-back during the Tottenham defeat.

The French defender has struggled throughout his time at the club, his progress hindered by two devastating knee injuries, but it’s not a position that City have looked at strengthening this summer.

Oleks Zinchenko is viewed as the main left-back, with the versatile Joao Cancelo viewed as an excellent alternative. Mendy is very much third-choice.

As players come back to full fitness, the strength of the squad will become clearer but for one so expensively-assembled, it does look alarmingly unbalanced right now.

Grealish is a thrilling addition but it will look a curious signing if City fail to address the biggest shortcoming in their forward line before the transfer window shuts.