Why Manchester United need Harry Kane at Old Trafford next season

After Manchester United’s triumphant victory over Chelsea last night, Erik Ten Hag has guided the Red Devils back into the Champions League group stages since 2021.

It went down to the wire with Man United needing to pick up a singular point in their last two matches, which they comfortably did against Frank Lampard’s abysmal West London team. With an xG of 5.3, Ten Hag will be disappointed that his team did not find the back of the net more than four times.

And so there is little surprise to hear that one of Manchester United’s priority positions for this upcoming summer transfer window will be a number nine. An out and out centre forward that can intelligently link up play, play with his back to goal, but also arrive at the right place at the right time to find the back of the net.

Harry Kane is that player and also the Red Devils’ primary target. However, the England captain will not be easily signed. Even though he has one year left on his current Tottenham Hotspur contract, Daniel Levy, the club’s Chairman, is going to provide strong opposition in allowing his star player to leave to another English club.

The rumoured fee is £100 million, which is an extortionate amount given the current contract status, but there is a premium as it is when it comes to English players – given the homegrown quota of having eight players per-squad in the Premier
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League – but also with Kane’s status.

There are not many centre forwards who can almost guarantee you 25+ Premier League goals per-season, but Kane is certainly one of them. This season he has 28 goals and three assists in the league, 30 in all competitions – a quite remarkable number given Tottenham’s woes throughout this campaign. It further highlights how they are operating as a one-man team.

Manchester United have been linked with SSC Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund, both of which are excellent, younger strikers, but there is always an associated risk when bringing in international forwards and expecting huge returns from the off.

Kane resembles a sure thing in terms of signing a player and having them firing in goals from the opening day of the season. The Englishman is familiar with what Ten Hag is building at Old Trafford, as well as being close with a number of international teammates that play for the Red Devils.

The thought of Marcus Rashford and Kane linking up together, just like Heung-min Son in previous years, provokes an immense feeling of excitement among Manchester United fans moving forward.

It will be a deal that drags on throughout the summer, but Levy knows this is his one and only opportunity left to bring in huge money for his number nine, or risks facing the prospect of losing him for free in the following 12 months.