Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham cannot allow uncertainty over Harry Kane’s future to drag on “too long” and has admitted the speculation could come to impact the striker.
Bayern Munich have had two bids for Kane rejected this summer but still hope to agree a fee with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and are considering a fresh approach.
Spurs do not want to sell Kane but are likely to consider offers of more than £100million, given he has just a year remaining on his contract.
Kane is keeping an open mind about his future, and Postecoglou has acknowledged for the first time that he cannot afford to be “relaxed” about the situation and the potential disruption to the start of his new era in north London.
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Postecoglou said last week that Kane would not be fazed by the uncertainty over his future but, with just three weeks until Spurs start the new season away at Brentford on August 12, he added that it would not be good for the England captain for the situation to rumble on.
Speaking to Standard Sport on the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, Postecoglou said he and Spurs want a quick resolution “for everyone concerned”.
“Fair to say, I am not relaxed about it,” said Postecoglou. “It’s not something you go, ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen’. It’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club. He is such a massive figure.
“While my focus isn’t on it on a daily basis, because I’ve got other things I need to do, I know that every time I am talking to you guys [the media], or whenever Harry is going to talk, that’s the first question you are going to get. So, you’ve got to deal with it.
“I think for everyone concerned we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club, because as laser focused as we want to be, you end up sort of repeating yourself along the way.
“But the flip side of that is I don’t want to put a deadline on it, because that adds even more pressure. You want these things to happen for the right reasons.”
Kane is attracted by the prospect of joining Bayern, who last week reiterated their belief that he is open to a move to Germany when the club’s honorary president, Uli Hoeness, said: “Harry Kane has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision stands — and if he keeps to his word, then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle.”
With Manchester United out of the race to sign Kane this summer and the forward reluctant to join Paris Saint-Germain, if Bayern cannot agree a deal with Spurs then his options will be to depart on a free next summer or sign a new contract next season.
Postecoglou said: “The reality of it is he’s still a contracted player at our football club, so that’s the way I see him. It’s not like his contract is ending on the 12th [of August] and he’s got to make a decision, he’s got another year.
“So, from that part, I am not relaxed but I am not putting pressure on him or anyone else at the football club, saying, ‘Well, we need to do this’. But, I don’t think deep down any of us want it to go on for too long.”
