Teddy Sheringham: Harry Kane should leave Spurs if he wants trophies

Monday 07 March 2022 5:43 pm

Harry Kane should make a renewed push to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer if he wants to win trophies, says Teddy Sheringham.

Former Spurs hero Sheringham believes Manchester City would still be interested in signing Kane, having failed with several offers for the England striker last year.

“If he looks at the situation at Tottenham and thinks ‘What have I got to do to win trophies? What have I got to do to be involved in FA Cup finals, league pushes at the end of the season, Champions League finals?’ I would think, with the disarray at Tottenham, he would have to leave,” Sheringham told City A.M.

Kane, behind only Jimmy Greaves in Tottenham’s all-time scorers’ list, has done more than anyone to revive the club’s fortunes over the last decade but is yet to win any silverware. 

He threatened his fan-favourite status by agitating for a transfer last summer, incurring a fine for returning late for pre-season training, as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy demanded £150m from Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola for a player contracted until 2024.

Sheringham, however, sees parallels with another of his former clubs, Manchester United, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s willingness to wait to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2001. 

“Whether Manchester City would still be in for him – I personally think they will be, because once managers like you as players they wait for you. I go back to Sir Alex wanting Van Nistelrooy years ago. He broke his leg, then he signed him the following summer. That player doesn’t change. 

“Harry Kane is still the player that Pep wanted. He pushed the boat out to try and get him, he just didn’t want to push it out that little bit further for the amount of money that Levy wanted. 

“Whether that money situation will change and it’ll become easier – I still think Pep will be interested in signing him. I still think Harry would be interested in going. I don’t know that, but that would be my take on the situation.”

Kane put in his best display of an otherwise mixed season as Spurs beat City last month, dropping deep to play through-balls as well as finishing chances. 

The 28-year-old’s development has earned comparisons with Sheringham, who scored 124 goals in 277 games for Spurs and is only too happy to be used as a benchmark.

“I’ll take that all day long. I think he’s the best centre-forward in the world at the moment; he has been the past four to five years,” added Sheringham, an ambassador for online casino Lord Ping.

“He could go anywhere in world football. He’s a very unique player. He’s still an old fashioned centre-forward but he can do everything: score goals, hold the ball up, run the channels, bring players into play, score with both feet and his head. 

“Your game evolves when you get older and I think he’s evolved even more in the fact he can combine with players and set them free as well. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. 

“His game has just evolved and realising it’s not just about scoring goals. ‘I can do everything in this football team or whatever football team I play for, including England.’ He is that focal point as a centre-forward. He is a fantastic player. 

“He’s had a little dip in form, yes, but he’s coming back. Form is temporary, class is permanent and he keeps showing that in little splinters now. If he was in the right team he would have no problem getting back to being world class.”