Ex-manager cites Bale as ‘huge’ Tottenham swap deal plotted
Alex McLeish has warned Tottenham against accepting a player-plus-cash swap deal for Harry Kane this summer.
The former Scotland boss, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, cited Gareth Bale’s exit in 2013 as proof certain players can be irreplaceable.
As revealed by Football Insider, Manchester United are planning to offer Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard in part-exchange to sign Kane.
This site first broke the news the England striker wants to leave Spurs this summer back in April.
Football Insider revealed on 10th May United had stepped up their pursuit of Kane.
It is understood the Lilywhites have slapped a £150million valuation on their talisman.
However, McLeish has warned Spurs Kane could prove priceless due to his influence on and off the pitch.
He pointed to Tottenham’s struggles following Bale’s exit in 2013 as an example of how things can go wrong.
Asked if Kane was worth more than a part-exchange deal could offer, McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Wow, yeah. I think Harry Kane is so much more important.
“Go back a few years when Gareth Bale left, what did they get, £70-80million? They got six or seven players in the door. Some of them we weren’t too sure about but we knew one or two.
“So you think: ‘Wow, we’ve got seven players and Gareth Bale is gone, yes, but we’re going to be great.’ But that one player who can make a huge, huge difference, it doesn’t matter how many players you bring in.
“Kane comes into that category and Gareth Bale was obviously in that category. You see how long it took Spurs to get a handle on things again. Also for two or three of these players to start playing consistently well, a long, long time.
“The impact on Spurs was instant when Bale left. If you lose Harry, we keep saying you’re only as good as your strikers.”
Kane has scored 32 goals and contributed 16 assists in 48 games for Spurs this season.
He still has three years left on the contract he signed back in 2018.
In other news, Tottenham superstar is set to stay next season after Levy showdown talks.