Erik ten Hag hails Harry Kane but refuses to get drawn on transfer speculation

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James Park on April 23, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag was asked about Manchester United target Harry Kane ahead of Thursday night’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

The Manchester United manager labeled Tottenham’s captain a “great player and great personality” in the embargoed section of his press conference, after previously revealing that he has a plan to stop Kane from causing havoc tomorrow night.

Ten Hag refused to get drawn on the prospect of Kane donning a red shirt but didn’t hide his admiration for the 29-year-old.

“First of all, the number of goals,” Ten Hag said (via Manchester Evening News) when asked what impressed him most about Kane, “and also his key actions [that] come to a goal. Final passes as well. He is just a great player. Great personality as well.”

When it was suggested that United needed bigger personalities in their squad after last week’s defeat in Seville, Ten Hag added: “Yeah, definitely. But it is just be composed be calm, carry on, play your game, stick to the plan, stick together. it is about issues like this.

“I think we need leadership in such moments who know how to do it and they have already proved it here but also in other clubs how to deal with it. It must not be such a big problem as it is in this moment in some games and certain occasions. But I also want to emphasise there are other situations where we dealt very well with it.”

When asked if he would fit in at United, the manager said: “I am preparing my team tomorrow for a game against Spurs. He is one of the players that we have to face of Spurs, so I don’t think about anything else.”

Every man and his dog is aware of Ten Hag’s quest to sign a goalscorer this summer. While Kane appears to fit the bill, a lot depends on what he wants for his future, and he is likely to remain undecided until the end of the season.

Dealing with Daniel Levy is no easy task and it is understood that United do not want to get embroiled in a saga with the London club. We’ve not bought a player from Spurs since Dimitar Berbatov on transfer deadline day in 2008.

Moreover, Spurs turned down a £100 million bid for Kane from Man City two years ago, as per The Guardian. Pep Guardiola ended up striking goal a year later when City won the race to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

The only way I can see us signing Kane is if the player forces a move himself. Does he want to win trophies or not? That’s the question he must answer before it’s too late.

Get the most important Manchester United news, opinion, interviews and exclusive features with the Stretty Newsletter – Ad Free! Kick off your afternoon with the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.

More Stories Erik ten Hag Harry Kane Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur