Harry Kane: What's next for Tottenham and their main man?

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane applauds the fans
(Image credit: Getty Images)

After three months, one rejected bid, and a gentleman’s agreement which might not even have existed, we’re back where we started. Harry Kane is staying at Tottenham.

THE KANE SAGA 8 other times that a 'Gentlemen's agreement' shook football

The big question of ‘Will he / won’t he?’ has been answered, but others will be in the coming weeks and months...

1. How did we get to this point?

Back in May, just before the end of last season, news emerged that Kane had told Spurs he wanted to leave – after 12 years at the club.

Then came the Euros, of course – although that didn’t stop Manchester City making a bid reportedly worth at least £100 million, which Spurs swiftly rejected.

It was after the tournament that things really came to a head, though, as Kane failed to report for pre-season training, seemingly trying to force through a move and citing a supposed ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with chairman Daniel Levy.

With Levy unmoved and interest – for this summer, at least – apparently waning, Kane seems to have accepted that he has no choice but to stay put. 

2. Will he be off next summer instead?

“I will be staying at Tottenham this summer,” Kane said in his tweet announcing that the saga was over.

Of course, it’s possible to read far too much into these things, but, if we’re playing devil’s advocate, could that mean he’ll be eyeing a move again in a year’s time? Perhaps even in January if Spurs endure a particularly rough first half of the season? (Not that it looks like they will, having opened the campaign with 1-0 wins over Manchester City and Wolves.)

Even if he doesn’t so explicitly state his desire to leave again, you’ve got assume there will be interest in his services – most likely from City.

3. Will the fans forgive him?

Football fans are a fickle bunch, as we know, and the answer to this question in these situations tends to be ‘Yes’, however long it takes.

For Kane, it might not take too long at all – and that’s because of the small matter of the first North London derby of the season, which takes place at the Emirates on 26th September.

Get the winner – or more – there and it could be almost instant redemption for the Golden Boot winner and Spurs’ leading Premier League goalscorer.

4. How will he fit into Nuno's system?

While Nuno has so far employed a 4-3-3 set-up as opposed to Jose Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1, Kane should still find himself reprising the partnership of sorts he enjoyed with Son.

That double act has proved extremely productive over the last couple of seasons, accounting for 69 of Spurs’ Premier League goals in that time. They should pass the 100-mark in 2021/22.

And let’s be honest, there was no way that Kane was going to be left out of any system once it became clear he was staying. That would be downright absurd.

5. Where will Spurs finish this season?

Had Kane left – and considering the probable difficulty of bringing in a like-for-like replacement – you’d have tipped Spurs to struggle this season.

In Son Heung-min, they still would have had a player with the potential to score 20 goals in a season – he managed 17 in 2020/21 – but losing Kane would, in a way, have been like losing players, considering his respective goals and assists tallies of 23 and 14.

Now that he’s staying, and with new boss Nuno Espirito Santo off to a promising start, things do seem to be looking up – and while Champions League qualification might be a stretch too far, a fifth-place finish has to be a realistic aspiration.

Subscribe to FourFourTwo today! Guarantee the finest football stories and interviews dropping on your doorstep first every month.

NOW READ

LIST 12 of the most shocking player vs fan punch-ups

FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE FourFourTwo writers reveal their FPL teams

ARSENAL It's not the defeats that are worrying for Arsenal – it's the total lack of creativity

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...

Read more
MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 01: Harry Kane of Bayern Munich celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Holstein Kiel at Allianz Arena on February 01, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
'I can see the logic with Harry Kane joining Arsenal - he would be the perfect last piece in the jigsaw and suits them down to the ground': England captain touted for shock transfer to Tottenham's rivals
Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates with the Premier League trophy following the Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea FC at Etihad Stadium on May 21, 2023 in Manchester, England.
Jack Grealish is struggling at Manchester City and it’s time for both parties to cut their losses
Peter Crouch retires
'I wanted to leave Liverpool as fast as possible. I was thinking, ‘What have I done?’ The manager wanted me to do different things, I working really hard, but I was trying to score while playing deeper' Peter Crouch answers FFT readers' questions
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is facing serious scrutiny over his position at present
WATCH: How to fix Tottenham Hotspur
MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 01: Harry Kane of Bayern Munich celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Holstein Kiel at Allianz Arena on February 01, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Harry Kane could return to Premier League for a lot less than you think, with Bayern Munich release clause revealed: report
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: Ange Postecoglou manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur after the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on February 09, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
'Ange Postecoglou will not change. He's got to where he is playing this style of football, whether its in Australia, Japan, to Scotland at Celtic and now at Spurs, so why would he change it?' Tottenham manager backed by Australia and Premier League legend
Latest in Stories
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is expected to sanction plenty of sales this summer
When does the summer transfer window open?
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta could both do with improving their respective attacks this summer
Arsenal to make bold move for Liverpool star with uncertain Anfield future: report
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Phil Foden of England reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier between England and Albania at Wembley Stadium on March 21, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
'When I see Phil Foden play, he just seems like a shy lad - that holds him back a little bit. He has been tried in every position, but he just hasn’t performed': Ex-England star makes bold claim about Manchester City man
Arsenal's William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes embrace each other in celebration at full-time of the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on 25 January, 2025
Arsenal face losing Gabriel AND William Saliba, as new fears arise: report
Kevin De Bruyne of Man City in action during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Ipswich Town FC at Etihad Stadium on August 24, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Kevin De Bruyne touted for shock move to South American giants: report
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - MAY 18: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of AS Roma, celebrates after the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and AS Roma at BayArena on May 18, 2023 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho planning Premier League raid for superstar: report
Latest in Features
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is expected to sanction plenty of sales this summer
When does the summer transfer window open?
Orlando Pride players raise the trophy during the NWSL Championship game between Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
How to watch NWSL: Live streams, TV information for National Women's Soccer League 2025
Premier League ball
Quiz! Can you name the players to have scored Premier League hat-tricks?
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola holds aloft the Premier League trophy at the Etihad in May 2023.
Quiz! Can you name every Premier League champion... in just 90 seconds?
Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati receives the Woman Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.
Who are the contenders for the Ballon d'Or Féminin?
 Sheila Garcia of Real Madrid CF battle for the ball with Alessia Russo of Arsenal FC during the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Finals First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on March 18, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
'Over two legs I expected Arsenal to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League, I still think they can despite being 2-0 down,' says former Lioness Izzy Christiansen