Graeme Souness insists Manchester City 'got it wrong' by signing Jack Grealish and not waiting for Harry Kane.
Pep Guardiola's side were engaged in a protracted saga to sign the England international last summer, but proved unable to convince Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to sell the club's prized asset. Kane was reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League champions, but the clubs were unable to agree a fee for the striker who had three years left on his contract.
Kane later insisted he was 'hurt' by suggestions he boycotted the early days of pre-season training as a result of his frustration over negotiations. The 28-year-old has rediscovered his best form in recent weeks under Antonio Conte, and there have been suggestions the striker could be happy to remain in the capital as a results of the team's improvement in recent weeks.
City were however successful in brokering a £100m deal for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish after meeting his lofty release clause. The attacking midfielder enjoyed a bit-part role for the Three Lions at Euro 2020, but has struggled to meet expectations in his debut campaign at the Etihad.
Guardiola has regularly defended the £100m man, and the 26-year-old has registered five goals and three assists so far. City now look set to finally land a striker, with reports indicating the club have agreed to activate the £62.3m release clause and sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Braut Haaland.
Souness believes City made a mistake in committing to the deal for Grealish, questioning the difference the former Aston Villa playmaker has made to the side. The ex- Liverpool manager believes Guardiola's side 'would be out of sight' in the title race if they had Kane in their ranks.
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Haaland has already forged an impressive reputation through his exploits with Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg, and the 21-year-old has scored a remarkable 82 goals in 86 matches for the German giants. However, Souness has questioned whether the Norway international will be able to settle into the Premier League straight away, while also describing the 'precedent' City have now set with the Grealish deal.
He wrote in his Times column: "They got it wrong in the summer. They should have prioritised Harry Kane and not gone for Jack Grealish. You should keep your powder dry to land your No 1 necessity, which was a striker capable of scoring 20-plus goals per season. With Kane, City would be out of sight by now in the league.
"Haaland is cheaper — he has a buyout clause of €75 million — and younger than Kane and I’d be amazed if a deal has not been done by now, wherever he’s going. But, if it’s City, can he settle straightaway in the Premier League, which is more demanding than the Bundesliga?
"I know Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn’t work out for Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, but Haaland’s a different animal. He is a rampaging old-style centre forward with a bit of everything in his game. He wants to run without the ball, which is a dream for those behind him.
"City got it wrong last summer by signing Grealish from Aston Villa. To commit £100 million on an area that didn’t need strengthening — they already had Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden — was a mistake. You can’t say Grealish has made a difference.
"The Grealish fee also sets a precedent if City come calling for a player. If you’re selling, you would always ask for more than you value the player at because you know clubs like City, and Newcastle now, have deep wallets."
