Harry Kane £160m Man City transfer: Why trophies mean more than money for Tottenham striker

Harry Kane’s ‘on off’ transfer saga to Manchester City rumbles on but yet again highlights the shifting sands of modern day football.
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In a different time Kane would have certainly found himself in the category of a ‘top class’ one club man, and older readers will recall two classic examples of this.

Sir Trevor Brooking and Matt Le Tissier were both gifted players like Kane, of international standard, but chose to stay with the same club throughout their careers.

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I know for a fact both turned down big money deals, but professionally and personally they opted to remain in their respective comfort zones.

Harry Kane looks likely to leave Tottenham this summerHarry Kane looks likely to leave Tottenham this summer
Harry Kane looks likely to leave Tottenham this summer

While Brooking himself won two FA Cups with West Ham, in 1975 and 1980, respectively, is Kane’s desire to leave Tottenham more about money or winning things?

Fairly recently, certain one-club men at the top level have won numerous honours, the names of Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Jamies Carragher are etched in domestic football history. But could that in itself be part of Kane’s frustration?

To date Kane has probably already earned enough money to secure his family’s long term future so while the money offered by City is allegedly off the scale I don’t think it’s about that.

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Is it more a case of years of mismanagement on the pitch at White Hart Lane and a lack of financial investment in players off of it that ultimately has forced Kane’s hand?

Ultimately he wants to win things, and despite several near misses by Spurs, he hasn’t with them, and with the best will in the world many observers see Spurs so far off the pace from the top four nothing will change in the immediate future, and if and when it does Kane might be too old?

The same could be said about another potential City signing, Jack Grealish, a lifelong Aston Villa fan who became captain of the club and is arguably one of the most exciting English players of his generation.

Like Kane, does he really need the money? No, he wants to win things, and whether we like it or not, in this country, there’s only a few options.

Trophies before money? It’s refreshing in some ways?

Maybe the cash helps, but both players want those medals in their cabinets as much as the balances in the bank.