This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking on talkSPORT, Stuart Pearce has dismissed Roy Keane’s suggestions that Manchester United could lure Harry Kane to Old Trafford.
What did he say?
Speaking after the Red Devils’ 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, United legend Keane urged the club to go and get Kane from Tottenham in a bid to solve their goal-scoring crisis.
However, whilst Pearce acknowledged the England international would bring a lot to the table at Old Trafford, he insisted the Red Devils would find it incredibly difficult to entice him away from north London.
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He said: “When you look at United in years gone by, that’s what Sir Alex used to do. Van Nistelrooy, Cole, Sheringham, Berbatov – he used to go out and buy the best centre forward who was available at the time.
“Also there are question marks over the character of the dressing room at United, and when you sign Harry Kane you get a top character a well, a top professional.
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“But Harry Kane is one of the few players who you feel has an affection, a real connection with the club he plays for, and that’s going to be a problem. There’s no Champions League football at Old Trafford at the moment, so that’s a problem as well. That’s what players want, that’s the clamour.”
Perspective
Whilst Keane’s dead-pan comments on United targeting Kane certainly went down well with the Red Devils faithful on social media, a bit of perspective is perhaps needed. The Spurs marksman has been with the north Londoners for years upon years, and as Pearce says, has developed a real affinity for the club.
As well as his personal ties with Mauricio Pochettino’s side, their record of playing in the Champions League in the past few seasons also counts as a massive plus – something United cannot provide this campaign, and appear unlikely to next year too. The best of the best want to be testing themselves in European football’s elite competition, and until the Red Devils do that, attracting the very top talent will remain very difficult indeed.
