Harry Kane’s ‘spirit’ questioned as Spurs star bids to rediscover Champions League scoring touch

Former England manager Fabio Capello believes Tottenham Hotspur “don’t have the best” version of Harry Kane at this moment in time.

Kane has an impressive 18 goals in 26 Premier League matches this season, though he has only found the back of the net once in seven Champions League encounters.

Tottenham face Italian champions AC Milan in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

The north Londoners will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Despite Kane’s scoring form in the Premier League, Italian legend Capello does not think he has been at his best, especially in recent weeks.

“It won’t be easy for Milan, but Tottenham still don’t have the best Kane,” Capello told Sky Italia (via Sport Witness).

“Up until a few games ago he was alive, while in the last few games I felt seemed a bit out of the game…

“Maybe he lacks a bit of spirit, even Antonio Conte has always defended him. But Tottenham are a strong team despite [Eric] Dier’s absence.

“They didn’t deserve to lose against Wolverhampton.”

Kane will need to show up in the second leg if Tottenham are to stand a chance of getting past Milan.

As mentioned prior, the 29-year-old’s scoring touch has eluded him in the Champions League this season.

His only goal in the competition this term came in the 3-2 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

This is the first season since 2019-20 that Spurs have been in the Champions League. That season, Kane scored six in five games.

, so I think it is fair to say he does not lack “spirit”, Mr. Capello.

The experienced striker has been linked with a move elsewhere for quite a while now with his Spurs contract set to expire in 15 months.

Manchester United are in dire need of a new no. 9 and Kane would be an absolutely incredible signing for them.

According to Football Insider, , despite his contract situation.

Manchester City tried to sign Kane in the summer of 2021 but failed in their £100m bid and have since signed Erling Haaland, who has 27 Premier League goals in 25 matches this campaign.

Chelsea are another team likely to pursue a new striker in the summer transfer window, though the club’s former striker Tony Cascarino is unsure Kane would join a London rival.

“I don’t think he’d go to Chelsea,” Cascarino said. “I just think that’s a move that he thinks he can’t do.”