Tottenham will be wary of history repeating amid Harry Kane and Fabian Delph comparison | Football | Sport

Tottenham fans are rejoicing after their star striker Harry Kane announced on Wednesday that he plans to stay at the club for at least one more season. The England captain has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester City all summer, and was keen himself to make a switch to the champions. But City have not been able to find an agreement with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy over a transfer fee, and it looks like after all the speculation Kane is going nowhere. 

Spurs supporters may take a while to forgive their talisman for his attempts to force an exit from the team he has spent his whole career at. 

But once he starts banging in the goals again they will no doubt begin singing the ‘one of our own’ chant he has been associated with for so many years.

That is, of course, unless Kane pulls a dramatic ‘Fabian Delph’ move at the last minute.

Aston Villa fans were in almost exactly the same position as Spurs this time six years ago.

Their inspirational captain Delph was being touted for a move to City, who were very interested indeed in the then-England international.

After agreeing an £8million fee with Villa, Delph looked certain to leave the club he had spent the last six years at, and was scheduled to have a medical.

But he did not show up, and dramatically later released a statement spelling out his intentions to stick around a while longer.

“I’m aware there has been intense media speculation surrounding my future in the last 24 hours and I want to set the record straight,” it read. “I’m not leaving. I’m staying at the football club and I can’t wait for the start of the season and captaining this great football club.”

That looked to be that. But the saga was not over.

Because extraordinarily, just a week later, Delph changed his mind again, and this time completed his transfer.

Speaking somewhat sheepishly as he was unveiled by City, Delph said: “My decision to stay (at Villa) initially was purely based on the emotion and feelings that I hold for the club and the people there that I would be walking away from – rather than looking at the football opportunity that had been placed in front of me.

“(But) I’ve proved that I can play at the very top level with England and I believe I owe it to myself to take the challenge of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester City.”

The Villa faithful were understandably livid, and Delph received a rough reception on his first return back to Birmingham with his new team, with a number of spectators brandishing plastic snakes and singing abusive songs.

The Spurs faithful, then, may just wish to put that champagne on ice a little bit longer… especially given that Kane’s statement is far from dissimilar to the one Delph released when he claimed he would stay.

“It was incredible to see the reception from the Spurs fans on Sunday and to read some of the messages of reports I’ve had in the last few weeks,” Kane said. “I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100% focused on helping the team achieve success.”

It does seem highly unlikely anything will happen now, especially given that the transfer window closes next week and that City appear to be turning their attentions to Cristiano Ronaldo.

But the Delph situation just goes to show that, in football, you never know…

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