2 hours ago
33
There are whispers that Harry Kane could return to the Premier League at the end of his current season with Bayern Munich. But while that might set up an intriguing showdown with Mohamed Salah as they both pursue Alan Shearer's record, it will not put Liverpool on transfer alert.
Kane is on fire in Germany, having finally lifted his first trophy last season. Incredibly, he has already recorded nine Bundesliga hattricks in fewer than 70 matches, placing him seventh on the overall list — everyone else in the top 10 has played at least 300 games.
Gary Neville has been discussing possible destinations for the England captain. He brushed over Arne Slot's side without a second thought, and (unlike some of his previous predictions), that was a wise move.
"But Wrighty, just on this, if he comes back," Neville mused on The Overlap. "He’s definitely not going to go to Liverpool.
"If he goes to United, there’s not a guarantee he’s going to win something. City have got Haaland.
"And can he go to Arsenal, or [I should say] he can’t go to Arsenal. And can he go to Chelsea?”
Some were more implied than others, but Neville rattled off a reason of sorts why Kane would not go to each of the other big six clubs. He cited the lack of competitiveness at Man United, the presence of Erling Haaland at Man City, and the London rivalries with Chelsea and Arsenal.
But while he didn't spell out the reasons, the exclusion of Liverpool by Neville was only natural. While things may have been different only a few weeks ago, it is plainly apparent why Kane will not be coming to Anfield.
The two biggest reasons, of course, go by the names Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike. The hope is that between them, they should have Liverpool's number nine position wrapped up for the next half-decade or more.
The capture of Isak in particular does at least prove that Liverpool would be able to compete for Kane if it so wished. With their commercial clout and obvious draw on the pitch, the times where the Reds had to sit out transfer races for the very best are long gone.
But even if Liverpool hadn't just shattered its transfer record, there's an argument that Neville would still be correct to write off a move for Kane. While his quality is beyond all question at this point, his profile would be a massive departure from the norm.
Crucially, Kane will be turning 33 next summer. Liverpool may have been prepared to make exceptions for Salah and Virgil van Dijk when agreeing new contracts with the veterans, but parting with a significant transfer fee to add players of that age is another matter altogether.
That's not to say it would necessarily be a bad addition for whoever brought Kane back to England. At 26, even Isak is somewhat older than Liverpool generally goes — but you need to show a level of flexibility when there is a world-class talent on the market who will help you to win now.
At Anfield, however, there is already an ideal blend of ready-made talent and potential for the future. As its perfect start to the season shows, it is more than ready to compete in the immediate term, but the frightening thing for rivals is that this team will only get better.
Ekitike, certainly, is yet to reach his ceiling (for instance, he's just learned a valuable lesson about his goal celebrations!). Isak might be approaching his peak years, but there's still a sense he will go up several levels when he fully clicks into gear at his new club.
And then there's the next generation. While finding a pathway will be devilishly difficult given the presence of Isak and Ekitike, there is a wealth of exciting talent in the club's youth ranks.
In particular, Jayden Danns gave a reminder of his credentials off the bench in the Carabao Cup. He has even attracted a handful of comparisons to Kane, with his quality in deeper areas combined with a sharp eye for goal.
Liverpool entered the summer with the number nine position among its top priorities. But now, the club looks sorted in that department from top to bottom — and if Kane does come back to England, it will be as a rival.
English (US) ·