Liverpool have dismissed suggestions that they’re planning to make a move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane this summer.
That’s according to journalist Miguel Delaney. Writing in his ‘Reading the Game’ newsletter for The Independent, Delaney reports that Liverpool have ‘laughed away’ any notion of Kane signing for them.
Kane was keen to leave Spurs last summer. However, Delaney reports that Antonio Conte’s impact and the club’s qualification for next season’s Champions League has ‘changed his mind.’
Irrespective of Kane, Delaney claims that in fact Liverpool have ‘no major plans’ for their forward line this summer.
That would be the case even if Sadio Mane leaves, an outcome which Delaney calls ‘almost certain.’
Time to wake up
God bless anyone who believed that Liverpool were plotting a move for the England captain this summer.
Spurs reportedly turned down bids of £100m from Manchester City last summer (The Mirror). That reason alone makes a move for the 28-year-old an absolute non-starter for a club like Liverpool.
With Spurs back in the Champions League and Kane still with two years to run on his contract, they have even less incentive to sell.
Kane had tongues wagging after recently praising the Liverpool supporters. But any fans dreaming of The Reds making a move for the striker are going to be disappointed. It’s simply never going to happen.
Liverpool need to strengthen
More worrying is Delaney’s assertion that Liverpool won’t alter their forward line even if Mane ends up leaving.
Jurgen Klopp still has good options for next season and Fabio Carvalho is expected to play across the forward line.
But beyond next season, things could get tricky if Liverpool don’t act now. Both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino will then have their contracts coming to an end.
If Liverpool don’t start to replace Mane, Salah and Firmino now, they’re going to have to do it all at once next summer. Of course Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have started that process, and it’s seemingly hoped Carvalho can continue it.
But as we’ve seen over the course of this season, having three quality options isn’t enough. Carvalho is still young and Liverpool can’t rely too much on him.
Now would seem like the perfect time to bring in another body. It’s a big summer for Liverpool, they can’t afford to get things wrong.