When Harry Kane finally resigned himself to the fact that he would be remaining in Tottenham, it was quite rightly greeted as a massive indicator that even in the era of ‘player power’, the club can still fight back.
For much of the summer window, it looked a looming inevitability that despite still having three years remaining on his current contract, Kane would get his wish.
Manchester City bided their time, in anticipation that they would once again get their man, as they have so many times in the past decade.
But Daniel Levy stood firm and in the face of increasing fan scrutiny, the England captain confirmed he would be staying in north London.
“I will be staying at Tottenham this summer,” the statement began. What was perhaps missing from his message to fans was a commitment beyond the end of this season.
But, according to Eurosport, the 28-year-old had serious concerns that if his move to City couldn’t happen in 2021, it was unlikely to ever materialise.
This was a summer when the planets met. Kane, coming off the back of disharmony at club level had dropped none-too-subtle hints that he would be looking to leave.
And Manchester City, one of the two or three clubs in world football that could actually afford him, were after a striker.
Pep Guardiola preached that his bosses wouldn’t be able to sanction the kind of bid it would have taken to sign him, there appeared to be a quiet confidence from the Etihad.
But it didn’t happen. And come the end of the season, there is another key cog entering any striker transfer saga.
Erling Haaland, seven years younger than Kane, would have cost the earth in the most recent window, thanks to his devastating goalscoring form for Borussia Dortmund.
Come next summer however and the picture is vastly different.
In what is looking like an increasingly poor decision from the Germans, teams will be able to sign the Norwegian for just £68million, as per his current release clause.
It’s a frankly paltry fee for a player that looks destined to become the next global superstar.
That fee is more than £100m cheaper than City would have likely been asked to fork out for Kane and according to the Times, he is now their top target for next year.
In fact, it is suggested that City will open talks with the player’s controversial agent Mino Raiola as soon as January in order to steal a march on their rivals.
He now looks to be the focal point that Guardiola will build the next incarnation of Manchester City around.
As for Kane, who skulked off the pitch - replaced and frustrated - for England on Tuesday night, his concerns look to be coming true, with his window to secure a move to a real powerhouse closing with every passing season.
