Erik ten Hag has hailed Harry Kane as a "great player and great personality" amid Manchester United's interest in the Tottenham striker.
Ten Hag has earmarked Kane as his preferred target to sharpen a profligate attack in the summer but sources say United are reluctant to get involved in any games with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
United have not signed anyone from Tottenham since Dimitar Berbatov on transfer deadline day in 2008 and Manchester City failed with a £100million bid to buy Kane two years ago.
Also read: United reluctant to play Levy's game over Kane
Kane's career is at a crossroads as he approaches the final year of his contract at Tottenham, who were thumped 6-1 by Newcastle on Sunday and sacked caretaker manager Cristian Stellini on Monday.
With Champions League qualification unlikely and Kane out of contract next year, United have emerged as the probable destination for the England captain if he favours a move to another club in England.
Ten Hag refused to be drawn on the prospect of Kane donning a red shirt but spoke of his admiration for the 29-year-old ahead of United's trip to Tottenham on Thursday night.
"First of all, the number of goals," Ten Hag said when asked what impressed him most about Kane, "and also his key actions [that] come to a goal. Final passes as well. He is just a great player. Great personality as well."
When it was later suggested to Ten Hag the United squad required more personalities to handle setbacks such as the surrender in Seville last week, he concurred. "Yeah, definitely. But it is just be composed be calm, carry on, play your game, stick to the plan, stick together. it is about issues like this.
"I think we need leadership in such moments who know how to do it and they have already proved it here but also in other clubs how to deal with it. It must not be such a big problem as it is in this moment in some games and certain occasions. But I also want to emphasise there are other situations where we dealt very well with it."
Ten Hag initially hesitated when he was asked if Kane would fit in at United. "I am preparing my team tomorrow for a game against Spurs. He is one of the players that we have to face of Spurs, so I don’t think about anything else."
Fourth-placed United head to London six points clear of Spurs, who have dropped down to sixth after their humiliation at St James' Park and Aston Villa's defeat of Fulham on Tuesday night.
United also have two games in hand on Tottenham and a game in hand on third-placed Newcastle, above United on goal difference.
Villa have made a belated and unlikely tilt at Champions League qualification but have played three games more than United. Villa are due at Old Trafford on Sunday though Ten Hag's sole focus is the match at Spurs.
"I don’t look that far, it is about from game to game and we have to win every game," he reiterated. "Tomorrow is a great opportunity, so make sure we are ready for that game, get a result and get a win there.
"The points are more expensive in this period of the season, so make sure you are really ready. It is a final. We are playing finals. We have shown we know how to approach finals, but do it as a team, be ready as an individual.
"It is about eight games but go from game to game so we don’t have to think about [the FA Cup final] in this moment because that is far ahead. We think only about the game tomorrow and that is what I demand from my players."
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