Spurs given glimpse of life without Kane
Reports emerge that Real Madrid are offering three players for the England striker
What would life at Tottenham Hotspur be like without Harry Kane?
The Spurs faithful got a glimpse of that potential scenario during their 2-0 win over bottom club Swansea City yesterday morning (Singapore time), as reports emerged that Real Madrid are preparing a bid for the England striker.
| TOTTENHAM | WEST HAM |
Kane, who was recovering from a heavy cold, started on the bench at the Liberty Stadium, as Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino kept an eye on tomorrow's game against West Ham United, reported Reuters.
In Kane's place, former Swansea man Fernando Llorente led the line and scored after 12 minutes, although he looked offside.
Kane came on in the final 22 minutes to help Spurs reassert authority against the side with the league's second-worst goal difference.
The goalscorer extraordinaire turned provider by superbly setting up an 89-minute goal for Dele Alli.
Following a stellar 2017 in which he set an English Premier League record of 39 goals in a calendar year, Kane's valuation has risen to 200 million euros (S$320.4 million).
To meet Spurs' demand, Real are reportedly offering three Galacticos in a part-exchange deal, reported Spanish sports publication Diario Gol.
The three players are former White Hart Lane heroes Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, and midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
Diario Gol claimed that a deal could include any player with a fee, or all three in a straight swop for the 24-year-old striker, who also surpassed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's 2017 goal tallies with a total of 56 goals for club and country last year.
As talk of Real's offer for Kane gathers pace, Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero gave a glowing reference of his rival.
The Argentinian said that Kane would have no problems coping with the demands of playing for Los Blancos, reported Spanish radio network Cadena SER.
"The truth is that players of this quality, I think they wouldn't have a problem playing for such an important club as Real Madrid is," Aguero said after scoring in his side's 3-1 win over Watford yesterday morning.
Aguero, who is five goals behind 18-goal Kane in the EPL top-scorer's chart, added: "I don't know what he is thinking, but that's not my problem, it's his."
Pochettino made no secret of who will lead the line against West Ham. He told Sky Sports after the Swansea game: "We saw it was difficult for (Kane) to run, but I think it was a good training session for him to prepare for the next game.
"We hope he will be well in the next 24 hours and he can be ready to play against West Ham.
"He doesn't only score goals. He can assist, he can play, he can build. He's a very complete striker."
Pochettino would be loath to lose Kane, telling Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport earlier in the week that his star striker could be to Spurs what AS Roma icon and one-club man Francesco Totti was to his boyhood club.
Said Pochettino: "His ties with Tottenham are important. He reminds me of Totti with Roma."
Kane, himself, has constantly reiterated his desire to stay with the club.
However, an offer with up to three world-class players could prove too irresistible for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
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