A report from Spain claims that both Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane turned down the chance to move to Real Madrid this summer.
According to El Pais, Real targeted both Salah and Kane to replace outgoing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
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However, the Premier League duo decided to stay at Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively after their stunning individual campaigns for club and country in 2017-18.
Per the report, Real made an advance to Salah who shut them down after signing a new deal at Liverpool and Kane’s response was a little “indifferent” but he wanted to remain at Spurs.
“Madrid consulted throughout the last month Kane and Salah through intermediaries, the answers of the scorers of the Premier were lukewarm or, in the case of Mo Salah, conclusive. The Egyptian replied renewing contract with Liverpool. The Englishman responded with a certain indifference. Tottenham indicated that Madrid made a “protocol” approach, to which the London club reported that Kane is not for sale. Only in the event that the player presses to leave could you put a price that will never be lower than 300 million euros.”
Kane for $350 million? Even Real Madrid wouldn’t pay that much. Right?
But this does show that their president Florentino Perez is focused on trying to bring in a star name as Real continue to be linked with moves for Kylian Mbappe, Eden Hazard and Neymar.
As for Salah and Kane, this kind of move doesn’t make that much sense for at least another two to three years for them. They are both revered at their current clubs and with Salah just 26 years old and Kane only turning 25 recently, the duo have plenty of time to take their talents to Madrid, if that was their desire.
Salah was voted the PFA and Premier League Player of the Year in 2017-18 as he scored 32 goals in his debut campaign at Anfield, while Kane scored 30 times in the Premier League and was the top goalscorer among Europe’s top five league for the 2017 calendar year. Kane also led England’s World Cup charge this summer as the Three Lions reached the semifinals and he won the Golden Boot with six goals in the tournament. As for Salah, he was instrumental in Liverpool reaching the UEFA Champions League final in May, scoring 44 goals 52 appearances in all competitions for the Reds.
Replacing Ronaldo is near on impossible for Real after the Portuguese great decided he wanted to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer following three-straight UEFA Champions League titles. Zinedine Zidane leaving as manager likely played a big part too in not only Ronaldo leaving but also failing to attract the likes of Salah and Kane, at least for know, as it feels like a period of transition is coming up for the Spanish giants.
With the likes of Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema in the latter stages of their careers, big changes will come in the next 12-18 months as new head coach Julen Lopetegui has already seen his side lose the UEFA Super Cup final to Atletico Madrid 4-2.
Kane and Salah will be linked with moves to Real Madrid in the near and distant future, but are they more attainable than Neymar, Mbappe and Hazard? If Liverpool or Spurs had any inclination to sell their star men then they would ask for a world-record fee off over $300 million. Simple.
