How could Man City line up with Harry Kane?
Paul Macdonald
- Updated: 21 Jun 2021 17:24 BST
- 3 min read
Harry Kane will become the most expensive player in Premier League history is Manchester City's assault for him proves to be successful.
The Etihad club have been linked with a £100 million swoop for the England star, while they could also include players such as Raheem Sterling, Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus in any deal, according to Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Kane has previously spoken of his desire to play in the game's biggest matches and competitions - effectively admitting that he would like a summer transfer.
Of course, wanting to move and actually moving are very different things; Spurs will not want to lose their talisman, someone who, as the song goes, is “one of their own”, but they may need to face up to the reality.
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Daniel Levy will be all about getting the best deal; that will be his focus. But while his popularity with Spurs fans appears to be at an all-time low, where Kane goes may have a lot of impact on the deal itself.
Kane is reported to want to stay in the Premier League. He could reach Alan Shearer’s all-time goalscoring record, and will have a great chance of breaking it if he stays fit.
With that in mind, Manchester City appears to be an ideal destination.They need a striker, can afford him, and don’t have a city rivalry with Spurs. If they had to lose him to a domestic opponent, that may be the easiest to stomach.
How would Kane fit in at Man City?
It is unlikely that Kane moving to the Etihad Stadium would force a formation change, which is certainly another check in the plus column for this deal.
Pep Guardiola would have to change his approach, though.
This season, he has reverted to the 4-3-3 false 9 system, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus often sitting out while Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden or Ferran Torres play centrally.
Kane is a focal point striker, and not a particularly quick one either. That lack of dynamism could cause problems for Guardiola, who tends to like a striker who darts around the pitch a lot. But Kane can drop deep and use his intelligence to link with midfield, and Guardiola has adapted to playing with a less diminutive No.9 before, when he inherited Robert Lewandowsk at Bayern Munich.
The bigger questions would surround who plays with Kane. It would be difficult for Gabriel Jesus to make an impact, but Torres’ situation is most interesting.
Guardiola admitted that his hat-trick at Newcastle and general form this season could see him permanently switch from playing as a winger to a striker in future.
There could be a bombshell in the shape of a Sterling departure from City this summer. His productivity in front of goal has halved this season, and he has been the man to make way for the impressive Phil Foden more often than not this season.
Riyad Mahrez should be a starter next term after finishing this one so strongly.
However, Guardiola will have lots of options to choose from
