Manchester United may not sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane this summer amid the fresh stance from the north London club.
The Red Devils are eyeing a marquee striker ahead of next season and Kane is reportedly one of the top targets for manager Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman obviously values the goalscoring record of the 29-year-old, but United may have to look elsewhere after the latest update.
According to The Times, Tottenham are open to selling their prized asset this summer but could demand a single payment of £100 million.
In our view, this could hamper United’s prospects of signing him as paying the entire fee up front could put them at the risk of Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions.
United’s director of football John Murtough highlighted the same in January. In our opinion, the club may not make such a huge outlay without staggered payments.
Man Utd could focus on other striker targets
Kane is a proven Premier League striker with over 200 goals. He would be a superb acquisition for the Red Devils as he would barely require any time to adapt.
However, United may struggle to pay the entire fee up front without player sales and this could urge them to look at alternative options in the transfer market.
Victor Osimhen has been regularly linked in recent weeks, but United face an identical situation. Napoli value him at £133m and may want a huge fee up front.
Hence, the club could focus on a younger upcoming striker and Sesko could be the perfect solution.
Leipzig have an agreement to sign him from sister club RB Salzburg for £20m this summer, but United could still convince them to cancel the deal with a higher offer.
A package in the region of £40m could do the trick. United could also finalise a long-term payment plan with Salzburg such that they don’t break the FFP limit.
Compared to Kane’s 22 goals, Sesko has only 12 for the season. However, he is only 19 years of age and has the potential to develop into an elite centre-forward.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
