Man Utd tell Harry Kane to put in transfer request in last-ditch ultimatum with £100m Tottenham star desperate for move
FRUSTRATED Manchester United have told Harry Kane: If you want the move, make it happen.
And the Red Devils have also had a second bid worth up to £50million rejected by Chelsea for Mason Mount.
United’s hierarchy are ready to walk away from the blockbuster transfer of Kane after difficulties in negotiating with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
But in a final attempt to move things on, they want Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer to come out with a transfer request or strongly worded statement about his desire to leave for Old Trafford.
United have simply been told he is not for sale by Spurs, with very little room for negotiation.
The Red Devils value Kane at around £80million while the asking price is £100m for a player who turns 30 next month with just a year left on his contract.
England captain Kane still desperately wants the move and Erik ten Hag’s United urgently need a striker — but they are not prepared to let the situation drag on any longer.
Their cross-town rivals Manchester City found themselves in a similar situation two years ago when they were willing to offer £100m for Kane with Spurs after £150m.
City also wanted Kane to push for the move but it was felt he did not go far enough to engineer one.
United are already looking at alternatives and have begun tentative negotiations for the potential £52m capture of Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
The Denmark forward, 20, scored ten goals in 34 appearances for the Italians last season and has six in six for his country.
United had also been keen on Napoli’s £100m-rated Victor Osimhen, 24.
But they believe dealing with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis will prove even more difficult than negotiating with Levy.
Yet De Laurentiis has left the door open for United to bid for the Nigerian, who was the top scorer in Napoli’s title-winning campaign with 26 goals.
De Laurentiis said: “If an offer came in that I could not refuse for the good of Napoli, we would consider it.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are holding out for £70m for Mount, 24, with United reluctant to up their offer.
In negotiations, the Red Devils have pointed out that Chelsea themselves paid under £50m in similar circumstances when they bought Raheem Sterling from City last summer.
Sterling, then 27, also had a year left on his contract and was considered at the peak of his career.
MAN UTD TAKEOVER NEWS LIVE: Stay up to date with all the latest purchase and transfer news from Old Trafford