Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James believes Jurgen Klopp should look to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham if Sadio Mane departs Anfield this summer. Playing a huge role for the Reds ever since his transfer from Southampton in 2016, the Senegal international's future is up in the air ahead of the new season.
Amid talk of an exit for a new challenge elsewhere, the FA Cup winners will have a challenge on their hands to adequately replace the 30-year-old given his huge contribution. With Kane chipping in with plenty of goals and assists for Tottenham in recent seasons, James believes a switch to Merseyside "would make a lot of sense".
“What’s interesting is the Mane part of the conversation. This is a guy that has won so much and done so well with Liverpool," the former goalkeeper told GGRecon. "I look at him in a very positive way, this is a guy that has travelled around in his career a little bit, and therefore the idea that he could travel to another country would make sense.
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"Having just turned 30, he’s sort of at the height of his powers. He’s been successful with a number of trophies with Liverpool, especially with two trophies this year, and with Senegal, qualifying for the World Cup and winning the Africa Cup of Nations, which is one of the major things he wanted to achieve.
"For any performer you would say, where is my best opportunity for me to make the next move and I would argue that now for Mane it is the right opportunity. It’s nothing against Liverpool. I don’t think many would argue against it.
“With him vacating a position, what I’ve liked about Harry Kane in a sense is that he’s become this season more of a Pep Guardiola player, ironically. If you just look at his general play, I think he’s covering more ground, he’s doing more No.10 play rather than strict No.9 play. He was always capable of it, but he seems to be doing it more now. That kind of versatility is something that would fit into a Liverpool side.
"If you’re losing Mane, I wouldn’t say Harry Kane is the perfect fit. Because Mane and Kane do play differently, what you’re looking at is an alternative. And I suppose for Liverpool they possibly need an alternative not strictly just because of Mane but after finishing second again in the Premier League.
"It is a fantastic achievement, but something has to change to win the Premier League, when Man City have had four of the last five. So yes, why not? I love Harry Kane. I’d love him to stay at Tottenham for the rest of his career and one thing that might deter that move is the fact that Spurs have qualified for the Champions League now and Antonio Conte seems to have, dare I say, his mojo back, with what he’s done for Tottenham this year.
"But yeah, one side of me wants Harry Kane to stay at Tottenham forever, but if Liverpool were to show an interest and require his talents then it would make a lot of sense.”
