Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has previously outlined what qualities he believes Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane would bring to Old Trafford amid the club's interest in his signature.
United manager Erik ten Hag, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, has pinpointed Kane as his prime target to strengthen the club's attacking ranks this forthcoming summer. The Reds are poised to prioritise the addition of a new striker ahead of next season.
United have been unable to call upon a reliable out-and-out centre-forward to deliver the goods this season, with Anthony Martial having spent most of the campaign out injured and loanee Wout Weghorst having scored just twice in 15 appearances since his January arrival from Burnley. Weghorst's loan switch is unlikely to be turned into a permanent deal and United are open to the possibility of selling Martial.
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With the exception of Marcus Rashford's contributions this term, United have not been able to rely on anyone within their squad to be a regular source of goals. After the England international's impressive tally of 26, their next highest contributor this term is Bruno Fernandes with eight.
For a club that has ambitions of returning to the top step of both English and European football, it is simply not enough, hence why Ten Hag wants to recruit an elite-level striker in the summer. Kane, along with Napoli ace Victor Osimhen, has been sounded out as a firm target and his contract situation in north London means that United will fancy their chances of luring the England captain to Old Trafford in the summer.
Sources say that Ten Hag is intent on adding Kane to his squad, though it remains unclear how much Tottenham, who have not won a trophy since 2008, will demand for their star asset. Nevertheless, if United want to add a guaranteed source of goals to their ranks, whether it be Kane, Osimhen or anyone else, they know they will have to break the bank.
In Kane they would be landing a player who has scored more than 200 Premier League goals, won a World Cup Golden Boot and established himself as one of the best strikers in the world in recent years. With that in mind, it is easy to understand why Rashford, who, of course, has played alongside the 29-year-old for several years on the international stage, waxed lyrical about him during the rearranged European Championship in the summer of 2021.
Hailing his fellow countryman, who was being linked with a move to Manchester City at the time, Rashford said: "I've thought for a while now that he has been one of the best number nines in the world. Nothing that he does now changes my mind.
"Last season [2020/21] he performed unbelievable. In the league I think it was 23 goals, with 14 or 15 assists or something like that. It's a massive influence that he has on games.
"Put that alongside the work that he does off the ball, the dirty work as you can call it, it's something that you can't not look at and appreciate. I'm pleased that he's had such a good year and hopefully he continues that now in the rest of the tournament."
Rashford's reference to Kane's work out of possession is telling. Ten Hag recently praised Weghorst for his efforts off the ball, highlighting how he believes the Dutchman allows his teammates to perform better.
Kane, though he is a much more prolific goalscorer, is, in some ways, very similar, in the sense that he has the ability to drop deep, link the play and provide assists. He is one of the Premier League's all-time greats and would be an excellent addition.
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