There could be two ways of looking at the time Harry Kane has been playing for Tottenham Hotspur’s first team.
That without the club’s record goalscorer, serial Golden Boot winner and England captain, Spurs would have little claim to be part of the Premier League’s Big Six.
Or that, by definition of him being a key member of the squad, Kane has been part of the problem that has seen Spurs go trophyless for so long.
Kane himself would say he has to take some responsibility but the truth, of course, is that he has been an outstanding player in a team that has not quite been able to mix it with the truly elite on a consistent basis.
He is still an outstanding footballer and there are no signs his game is in any way deteriorating as he heads to his 30th birthday on July 28.
Fingers crossed in relation to injury, Kane has half a decade left at the very top.
And if Erling Haaland had not arrived on these shores, Kane would be clearing a space on the mantelpiece for another one of those Golden Boots.
With 24 goals so far, he is four clear of third-placed Ivan Toney in the Premier League’s scoring table.
Of players with ten or more goals, only Haaland, Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have a better goals per 90 minutes ratio.
But if Spurs get an offer of £100million for Kane - upfront in readies - they should accept … whoever it is from and no matter how much Daniel Levy dislikes Manchester United, if it is from them.
The simple truth is that Spurs and Levy cannot allow Kane to go into the final year of his contract, after which he could sign, say, for Chelsea, on a free transfer on wages that would easily exceed half a million a week.
At a time when the premium on proven goalscorers is at a serious high, there are some who believe Kane should be worth £150million in the current market.
Well, he would be, if he had a lot more than a year left on his Tottenham deal.
For a player heading into his thirties who has not helped you win a trophy in more than a decade since making his debut and who can go for a free in the summer of 2024, £100million is good money.
Again, Kane is showing no signs of slowing down, although his assist numbers have been falling.
In the 2020/21 Premier League season, Kane had 14 assists. In 2021/22, he had nine. With five games remaining of Spurs’ 2022/23 season, he has three.
Amongst the top ten Premier League scorers, that is the fewest number of assists.
If Kane comes to Spurs and says he wants to sign a new deal and end his career with the club, then it is a no-brainer.
But if he does not do that and someone slaps £100million in cash on the table, it is also a no-brainer.
