Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is continuing to push the club to land Harry Kane this summer but the club are prioritising a long-term approach for Kylian Mbappe.
Kane, 29, is out of contract at Tottenham next summer and this summer is likely to be the last opportunity Spurs have to cash in on the striker before risking him leaving as a free agent. Their preference is to sell him to a club outside of England and not to a direct rival.
The England international is on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag’s target list this summer as he is on red alert to sign a central striker at Old Trafford. United are desperate to sign an elite central striker and Ten Hag believed Kane’s contractual situation will mean that a deal is possible.
However, it is increasingly felt that a move is not possible due to Tottenham’s unwillingness to sell to a Premier League rival, and they would rather allow him to leave as a free agent at the end of the current campaign.
Real Madrid desperately need attacking reinforcements this summer. Karim Benzema confirmed his exit from the Spanish giants last week while Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz – the latter of whom was the only recognised central striker in Madrid’s senior squad – are all departing as free agents this summer.
At a key transfer meeting, Ancelotti made it clear to club president Florentino Perez and Real Madrid ’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, who is primarily tasked with concluding transfers, that Tottenham striker Kane is his number one target this summer after the club conclude a deal to sign his England international teammate Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund. But the Madrid boss fears missing out on a deal.
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The club have signed young Brazilian talent Endrick from Palmeiras. However, the teenager cannot join the club for another two years and Kane would have been an ideal candidate to bridge the time gap until his arrival.
It is also understood that Real Madrid have, independently of their interest in Kane, wrapped up a deal to sign Spain international Joselu from Espanyol –were relegated from La Liga. The experienced striker will primarily act as a back-up striker in the Spanish capital and will join alongside full-back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano.
A recent report in Marca details how Kane remains a target for Madrid but there is little optimism that a deal can be done, due to the posturing of Spurs and the striker’s own personal wishes to stay in the Premier League – where he could break Alan Shearer’s all-time goals record.
What is clear is that Madrid desperately need to sign a starting striker this year. On Saturday, the club president Perez was recorded when asked about whether he would like to sign PSG superstar Mbappe: “Yes, but not this year.”
It appears unlikely that Madrid’s plans to sign Mbappe and Endrick would be able to align alongside accommodating Kane, who will believe that he has several years left at the very top level and may, once again, be running out of options to leave Spurs this summer.
