Manchester United linked to £200m Harry Kane

Manchester United have been linked with a £200 million move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

Kane admitted in the enforced coronavirus break that he will consider a move away from Spurs if they are not able to challenge for trophies, and with this season potentially on course to be prematurely abandoned, there is reason to think that the club will test Kane’s patience.

Daniel Levy is rarely keen on huge outlays in the transfer window, and with Jose Mourinho keen to rebuild the squad that was no longer performing at their best for former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Selling the 26-year-old England forward would be one method to raise funds for new signings, and the Mail on Sunday reports that the club would consider bids of around £200 million.

The Londoners owe more than £600 million for their new stadium, and almost £100 million in outstanding transfer fees, so bringing in a huge sum would allow them to make a dent in their debt and reduce yearly repayments.

The paper suggests that United may struggle to afford such a figure. The impact of the coronavirus remains unclear, but theoretically United could miss out on Premier League prize money and broadcast revenue, as well as ticket sales, and entering a wider financial recession could have severe impacts on commercial income in the longer term.

The Mail points out that United may not be able to afford £200 million in order to secure the signing of Kane, but any compromise fee would doubtless be in excess of the £89 million that United paid Juventus for midfielder Paul Pogba.

In turn, United may be able to raise funds for a bid for Kane by selling Pogba, with the 27-year-old French international linked with his own move away, to either Juventus or Real Madrid.