Pochettino to hijack Man Utd’s priority transfer target to solve huge Chelsea problem

Robin Bairner

• 28 Apr 2023 11:37 BST
• 3 min read

Mauricio Pochettino is set to be appointed as Chelsea’s new manager – and one of his first acts in the transfer window could be to deny Manchester United one of their leading summer targets.

Expected to be named Blues boss in the days or weeks ahead, Pochettino’s main priority will be to get Chelsea winning again – and to do that he will need to find a way to get his team scoring goals. Under interim boss Frank Lampard, they have netted only once in five games, but this has been a major issue for the club all season.

According to the Daily Mail, though, the Argentine would “jump” at the opportunity to work with Tottenham striker Harry Kane, complicating Manchester United’s approach for the player.

The same report states that Kane is the Red Devils’ priority to their No.9 signing in the transfer window.

Kane will not come cheap, despite having a contract that runs until 2024, meaning he could leave next summer as a free agent. Tottenham have put a £100 million transfer fee on his head, while his wages are expected to top £300,000 per week.

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Can a Kane deal be struck?

FootballTransfers’ information is that the Old Trafford club will struggle to negotiate such a blockbuster deal due to the delays in their takeover this summer and because of the multiple positions that manager Erik ten Hag wants to strengthen.

While Tottenham’s rivalry with Chelsea promises to be an issue in any deal that the Blues may wish to conduct – and it surely will be for under-fire Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – remaining in London would be attractive to Kane, who has played his whole professional career with his academy club.

Furthermore, the Pochettino factor at Chelsea is definitely attractive.

But how realistic is this deal for Chelsea? They will battle Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations this summer, and while they have assets to sell, the striker’s price is significant.

This rumour plays into the hands of Tottenham, who if they must sell Kane, will want a bidding war to ensure they get the highest price. With Man Utd and Chelsea two of the biggest-spending clubs in the world, this is ideal for them.