Rio Ferdinand suggests drastic action for Harry Kane to force Man City move

Rio Ferdinand has advised Harry Kane to go on strike at Tottenham Hotspur in order to force through a move to Manchester City, telling the England captain to do what is best for him.

Kane is keen to leave Spurs for the Premier League champions this summer, but Tottenham are understandably unwilling to let him go unless an enormous bid comes in.

The 28-year-old is under contract in north London until 2024 after signing a six-year deal in 2018, so the club are under no pressure to sell, but Ferdinand thinks Kane should be exerting that pressure on them.

The 42-year-old recalled when he pushed through a move from Leeds United to Manchester United in 2002, refusing to leave chairman Peter Ridsdale’s office until the deal was done.

‘I think he was told he could leave this summer for a certain price,’ Ferdinand said of Kane on Rio Ferdinand presents FIVE. ‘That price has been met or just underneath and [Spurs chairman Daniel] Levy’s just being stubborn, which he’s got a right to be.

‘I go back to when I was a player. I’d probably say, “Listen, you ain’t gonna see me, I’m not going to play, I want to go.”

‘You don’t get long in this game, you don’t get long to win.

‘I told the man at Leeds, I told Mr Ridsdale himself, “Get into this office to come and see me because I’m not getting on that plane tomorrow.”

‘Five hours I was there, I think. I just sat there, twiddling my thumbs.’

The former England defender says it is simply the allure of winning trophies that is important to Kane, as it is to any player, and he says it is a big enough attraction to go on strike over.

‘I had a chance to really win trophies, do you know how appealing that is for a player?’ Rio continued. ‘That’s why I’m thinking Harry Kane must be feeling how I felt at that time.

‘If I’m Harry Kane I’m just saying I’m not coming back to training. I would.

‘I might have a different hat on if I was an owner of a football club, but I’m talking from a footballer’s point of view.

‘I know everyone said he signed a six-year deal, that’s fine, but I always say this, loyalty in football is a myth.’

Kane appeared to be taking Ferdinand’s advice when he didn’t report for Tottenham training last week, although he has since denied that this was taking strike action, saying he was not planned to return to the club at that point.

Kane wrote on Instagram on Friday 6 August: ‘It’s almost ten years since I made my Spurs debut. For every one of those years, you – the fans – have shown me total support and love.

‘That’s why it hurts to read some of the comments that have been made this week, questioning my professionalism.

‘While I won’t go into the specifics of the situation, I want to clarify that I would never, and have never, refused to train. I will be returning to the club tomorrow, as planned.

‘I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the relationship I have with the fans who have given me such unwavering support during my time with the club. This has always been the case as it is today. Harry.’

Kane is now back at the club but is yet to re-join training with his teammates and new Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted on Monday that he had still not spoken to his star striker.

‘First of all we have to speak,’ Nuno said on Monday. ‘This is going to happen today, and after that we hope to solve all the situations.

‘It’s not about that (Kane’s late return), it’s about what we have to do to solve the situation – this is important.

‘We have to solve it together, everybody involved has to solve it together – speaking, having a nice conversation and putting our opinions, but everybody together.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Source: Read Full Article