‘Arsenal plan to hold behind-the-scenes talks with Harry Kane’
Arsenal will have to hold behind-the-scenes talks with Harry Kane before making a formal move to sign him from Bayern Munich.
That is according to former Man United and Tottenham scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the Gunners must assess whether the 31-year-old would be open to the deal.
Kane has a £54million release clause in his Bayern contract which is set to become active in the summer, putting a number of Premier League sides on red alert.
However, his revered status across North London as a Tottenham legend, for whom he made 435 appearances and scored 280 goals, has led to questions about whether he would make the switch.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been underwhelmed by the performances of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz this season and are planning to sign a reliable goalscorer to fill their place.
Kane has emerged as a surprise option for the Arsenal position, with former Gunner Paul Merson tipping him to echo Sol Campbell’s infamous move across North London.
Arsenal rival Man United as Harry Kane to make transfer decision
Brown previously told Football Insider that INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are planning to make Kane a superstar signing for Man United in the summer.
However, the former scout who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, has now insisted that the striker will make the final call over his destination amid growing interest.
“Arsenal would have to be convinced Kane would make the move,” he told Football Insider.
“If they go in strong for that deal, put all their eggs in that basket, and then Harry Kane knocks them back because of his Tottenham allegiances, the fans wouldn’t be happy.
“It’s a deal that, if they want to do, they have to be very careful with it.
“They have to do the work quietly and behind the scenes before they make their move.
“You have to know what the end result is before you get there – so that would mean speaking to Kane and his representatives and seeing what they think.
“Maybe he’s open to it, maybe he isn’t, it depends on how he views his situation at Tottenham.
“But, if they get the thumbs-up from them, they can go to Bayern Munich with money in their hands.
“It would probably be a complicated deal for them to do if you consider everything around it, but I always say, nothing surprises me in football any more.”
Diogo Jota joins Harry Kane on Mikel Arteta’s shortlist
As well as their ambitious desire to sign Kane, Arsenal have been looking at a number of alternatives to strengthen their attacking options.
There is a feeling at the Emirates that signing an out-and-out goalscorer would take them from being title challengers to Premier League winners.
His ability to drift wide as well as playing through the middle is also seen as a valuable asset, while Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has been targeted for the same reason.
For more Arsenal and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.