Manchester United are no strangers to long-running transfer sagas and a potential pursuit of Harry Kane this summer could be another for the list.
Erik ten Hag's side are monitoring Kane's situation at Tottenham, with the striker inside the final 18 months of his deal and potentially eyeing a move away. Last Sunday, the 29-year-old netted for the 267th time in the white of Spurs, surpassing Jimmy Greaves' record to become the club's all-time top goalscorer. And with that milestone reached, one would think a hunt for silverware was next on the to-do list.
That silverware may well come at Tottenham but it is much more likely to come elsewhere, with United hopeful a world-class forward would provide the final piece of the jigsaw in their own pursuit of glory. Ten Hag signed Wout Weghorst on loan from Burnley in January, the 30-year-old leading the line in M16 for the remainder of the season. But that is expected to be little more than a stop-gap, and summer has been bookmarked for a more permanent solution.
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Kane is not the only target for United come June, but with extensive Premier League experience and qualities that would suit Ten Hag's style, the England international will no doubt be high on the list.
Unfortunately for the Reds, any pursuit of the striker who joined Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer in registering 200 top-flight goals recently will mean negotiating with Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman fabled for an uncompromising and stubborn approach to selling his players. The blue half of Manchester know only too well how hard it can be to appease Levy, given they failed with a bid for the striker in 2021.
And reports on Friday suggest United are set to be met with similar resistance, 90min suggesting the Spurs chief will not sell to a Premier League rival under any circumstances. Kane's desire to surpass Shearer as the league's all-time top goalscorer presents a problem for both parties in that respect, but Levy is an unforgiving operator who will not budge. Bayern Munich's reported interest may well hand him an out, allowing Spurs to cash in without strengthening a top-four rival.
There's also every chance that this hardline stance is Levy's way of holding Kane for as deep into the summer as possible, gambling that the likes of United will get desperate and throw another 10-15 per cent on top of their initial offers. And it is a fair bet, given Ten Hag's side did exactly that last summer.
The Dutchman had been linked with a move for Antony since the day he was confirmed as United's new boss, keen to bring across from Ajax a familiar face. The Reds confirmed the arrival of Lisandro Martinez at the end of July but were playing hardball with his former teammate.
United refused to meet Ajax's asking price for Antony. A multi-million-pound game of chicken ensued, with both parties convinced the other would cave.
In the end, it was those at Old Trafford who crumbled, returning to the Netherlands with their tails between their legs. Ajax sensed desperation and subsequently ramped up the asking price.
With just days to go before the summer deadline and an expectant fanbase waiting, there was little option but to get the Tipp-Ex out and up their offer to a possible £85million.
Levy will drive just as hard a bargain this summer if United are serious about Kane, but John Murtough will have learnt lessons from the Antony saga. For him, the plan is surely simple: lay your cards on the table and if Spurs are not flinching, move on. Victor Osimhen has proven to be one of the best strikers in the world this season and has his Napoli side flying high at the top of Serie A, while Goncalo Ramos is scoring for fun with Benfica and looks set for a bright future.
World-class strikers will be in short supply and high demand this summer, and United are not the only club planning to splash the cash on a forward. Competition from the likes of Chelsea and Bayern will ramp up prices, but lessons learnt from last season's Antony saga can ensure the club seal the deal they are looking for.
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