According to reports by The Mirror (as relayed by football.london), former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov fears that Harry Kane will once again try to force a move away from Spurs if Antonio Conte fails to win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League.
The Lowdown: Harry Kane’s transfer saga
Kane was at the heart of a messy transfer saga during last summer’s transfer window. The England captain was Pep Guardiola’s priority target as Manchester City looked to bring in a top-quality striker. Spurs rejected City’s sensational £125m bid for the player, who had his mind set on the move after winning last season's Premier League Golden Boot.
Kane tried to force his way out of the north London club by failing to turn up to training. However, these attempts proved unsuccessful, and the 28-year-old took to social media to confirm that he would remain at his boyhood club.
Despite Spurs' retention of the striker, he has been relatively poor this season, having transfer market valuation drop from a peak of £135m to its current value of £90m.
The Latest: Berbatov issues Kane transfer warning
Berbatov now fears that Kane will try again to leave the club if Tottenham fail to deliver silverware or a top-four finish this season.
Speaking to The Mirror, the Bulgarian said: “In my opinion, I think we are going to see a similar situation with Harry Kane to last year.
“I am not convinced that the thought of moving to a top club to win trophies is completely out of Harry’s head.
“Yes, Conte has said that Harry is a key guy and that the team must evolve around him. But at the same time, I think that temptation is still there - and that we will see the same drama next summer.
"The only way that won’t happen is if Spurs win something or qualify for the Champions League. That’s where Kane wants to be - so let’s see if Spurs can surprise a few people by doing it.”
The Verdict: Pressure on Spurs to keep Kane
With Berbatov believing that Kane holds mixed feelings over his future at Tottenham, there is huge pressure on Conte to guide the team to a successful season in the form of a trophy or Champions League qualification. Otherwise, the England international could once again seek to leave the club.
He would be a monumental loss for Spurs. Kane has played 364 times for the Lilywhites, scoring an incredible 233 goals. Levy will not only be feeling the pressure to keep the fan favourite at the club, he might also be worrying about whether Conte will follow suit in leaving if the England captain is eventually granted a departure from N17.
With the FA Cup still to fight for, and sitting just four points off the top four with several games in hand, Tottenham still have every chance of salvaging tangible success from this season. Kane's future at the club could depend on it.
In other news - ‘Conte is confident’: Spurs business ‘expected to be tied up very soon’ amid exit rumour