For once, it is not all about the money. After all, Harry Kane can be assured that he will get a bumper contract wherever he plays.
Tottenham are trying to sign him up to a new deal worth in excess of £300,000-a-week to make him one of the Premier League’s top earners and the biggest in the club’s history. But Kane, who turns 30 later this month, would be guaranteed even more money somewhere else if he was to sit tight, see out the remaining 12 months on his current deal and move on a free transfer next summer.
Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and the rest would happily sign him up - and give him a huge deal. But this is about whether Tottenham can actually persuade Kane to stay with the vision of Ange Postecoglou because there remains a belief at the club that the England captain wants to stay.
His dream would be to stay at Tottenham, break the Premier League goal record and, more importantly, win the silverware to go with his own personal success and Golden Boot trophies.
Kane turned up for training on Wednesday, his boots in hand and even did a turn for the club’s social media channels. He will fly out with the squad on Friday for the summer tour to Australia and the Far East.
He was the player not just to walk through the door for the cameras, but to stop, shake hands with staff and ask after their health. That is the kind of guy he is: unassuming, genuine and a good bloke. But he is also driven and wants success.
That is why Kane flirted with leaving two years ago when Manchester City wanted him and why Bayern Munich are pushing so hard this time to get him. However, Tottenham are determined not to sell, will resist Bayern’s latest £70m offer and are ready to allow him to run into the final year of his contract even though it risks him leaving for free.
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Now it is down to Postecoglou to sell him the vision of what he sees for Tottenham and how he can bring success to the club. The early signs are good. Players have been back in training since last week and it is the internationals - like Kane, James Maddison and Pierre-Emile Hoijberg - who were allowed to report back later after being away with their national teams deep into June.
The players who have seen Postecoglou so far have seen a manager who is hungry, determined and works them hard so they are ready to play football his way. Attacking, exciting and plenty of movement in the forward line. Last season, it lacked creativity and was pedestrian in midfield.
Now it is about quick movement, energy and Maddison should bring the style and creativity to support Kane, Son Heung-min and the rest. Tottenham are also determined to play out from the back, they want to do more business as Wolfsburg’s Dutch defender Micky van de Ven and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher are on the radar.
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Tottenham do not have the distraction of European football but Postecoglou will make it clear to Kane that he wants to get back there - and he is central to his plans. With Hugo Lloris likely to depart, Kane is also favourite to get the armband permanently which is something he wears for England.
These next few days and the trip Down Under as they fly to Perth on Friday are absolutely crucial in persuading Kane that he can be successful if he stays.
His loyalty and goals have already made him a legend. But trophies with a new manager and an exciting brand of football, while also turning down overtures from elsewhere, would only strengthen his standing with the fans who already worship him.
