William Gallas, Glenn Hoddle, Jimmy Greaves, Gus Poyet. There are not too many players that have played for both Chelsea and Tottenham during their professional careers.
An inter-city rivalry that stretches back to the 1960s. The 1967 FA Cup final, known as 'the Cockney Cup final', which ended 2-1 to Spurs. It started what has turned into a bitter rivalry between the two London clubs.
The memory that sticks out to a younger generation will be the infamous 'Battle of the Bridge' back in 2016. Tottenham were gunning for their first Premier League title, knowing that anything but three points at Stamford Bridge would hand Leicester City the trophy. The referee on the occasion was Mark Clattenburg, who ended up handing out 12 yellow cards.
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Eden Hazard ended up drawing the game for Chelsea with an 83rd-minute goal to send the Bridge into ecstasy. A goal that will live forever in the memories of both sets of supporters but for very different reasons.
So there's no surprise that there isn't a lot of transfer activity directly between these two bitter rivals. But this summer, there is a rumour – and it needs to be emphasised that is what it is at the moment – that refuses to go away. Harry Kane to Chelsea.
The unthinkable for Spurs supporters. But with Mauricio Pochettino set to be appointed as Chelsea's new permanent head coach in time for the 2023/24 season, is there a possibility for an extraordinary reunion between the manager and striker?
Pochettino and Kane are said to have enjoyed a brilliant working relationship with each other in their five years together at Tottenham. Tim Sherwood was the man who handed Kane his Spurs debut but it was Pochettino who arguably helped turn him into the world-class striker he is today.
Chelsea of course are looking for that player who can go and score 25 to 30 goals a season. Kai Havertz has just seven Premier League goals this season and he is the club's top scorer in the top-flight. That's simply not good enough – and it's not like the goals have been shared around too much either.
Next on the list is Raheem Sterling whose brace on Saturday against Nottingham Forest means he is now on six goals for the season. Then it's Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and Joao Felix on three goals. Chelsea have scored 36 goals in 35 Premier League games, just over one per match.
Thomas Tuchel brought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the club in September of 2022 to try and solve Chelsea's goal-scoring woes. Tuchel, though, was sacked by the club a week later, meaning his reunion with Aubameyang was not very long-lived.
The Gabonese striker was meant to be that player to convert the majority of opportunities the Chelsea attack create. So the hunt for that goal-scoring No.9 continues and who better for that than Kane?
The 29-year-old has 210 Premier League goals in 315 appearances for Spurs. Kane has won three Golden Boots in the top-flight but for all of his personal accolades, he is still yet to win a major honour with Tottenham.
Of course, with the way Chelsea are playing at the moment, there's no sign they will be adding to their trophy cabinet anytime soon but if Kane can come in and be the poster boy for the owners' long-term project, they would be well on their way. Pochettino would surely love a reunion with Kane to start off his Chelsea career.
Just think of some of the opportunities Chelsea have had this season – imagine Kane on the end of them. The Blues would be multiple positions better off in the Premier League than they are right now and we would be talking a lot differently about the side.
Many people said for years that Manchester City didn't necessarily need a 'trademark No.9' because of how successful they've been ever since Pep Guardiola started his reign. But last summer, they went and signed Erling Haaland and less than 12 months on, they are chasing the treble – and are in a good position to achieve just that.
Tottenham are unlikely to welcome any offers, let alone one from Chelsea. But if the Blues can unsettle Kane in any way, why not do so?
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