Man United pass on Harry Kane, turn attention elsewhere

Manchester United have reportedly ended its pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane. The England international has been a long-term target of the Red Devils, but it now seems as if the transfer will never happen. Kane is widely regarded as one of the top center forwards in the world.

The Guardian claims that United brass feels that a total package to nab Kane would be far too expensive. They supposedly believe that a significant transfer fee plus huge wages for a 29-year-old would be too risky. Kane is about to enter his final year under contract with Spurs. However, the north London club is still expecting to ask for around $125 million for their superstar.

Harry Kane most likely destination may be abroad, not United

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy does not want to sell Kane to a direct rival. Assuming the striker doesn’t sign a fresh deal and Spurs is forced to sell, they would much rather allow Kane to leave for a foreign club. Along with financial issues with a possible deal, this is also a major setback for United.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have been linked with Kane in recent months as well. Nevertheless, there have not been any offers from either team for the striker. Kylian Mbappe potentially becoming available also makes Real a somewhat unlikely destination for Kane. The Spanish giants have been wanting Mbappe for years now and are thought to be the frontrunners for the Frenchman.

Højlund could become plan B at Old Trafford

With Kane seemingly off of the board, United will now turn to other options. The Red Devils, much like many other big clubs, are interested in Victor Osimhen. However, the Napoli striker would most likely be even more expensive than Kane. Napoli is reportedly asking for around $160 million for the Nigerian forward.

Atalanta’s Rasmus Højlund could be the next best option for United. The Dane scored nine goals in 32 Serie A appearances during the 2022/23 campaign. While these statistics don’t exactly jump off of the page, the 20-year-old striker is rated highly by many European scouts. The aforementioned news outlet claims that Atalanta could ask for as much as $63 million for the forward. The Italians only just bought Højlund for around $17 million back in August.

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