Manchester United reluctant to play games with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy over Harry Kane

Manchester United are reluctant to become embroiled in a saga with Tottenham over Harry Kane despite Erik ten Hag's wish to sign the striker.

Sources say United do not want to get involved in Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's games, such is his propensity to drag out negotiations for deals involving Tottenham players.

Manchester City failed with their efforts to buy Kane in the summer of 2021 and it was not until August 25 that Kane confirmed he would be staying at Spurs.

Also read: Signing Kane would be a coup with caveats

Spurs were confident of keeping Kane all summer and City could not justify the outlay on Kane as well as the £100million signing of Jack Grealish.

United have not signed anyone from Tottenham since Dimitar Berbatov joined for a then-club record £30.75m on transfer deadline day in 2008. City's takeover by the Abu Dhabi Group earlier in the day and their belated bid for Berbatov allowed Levy to up the fee.

Kane, 29, has struck 26 club goals this season and is approaching the final year of his contract at Tottenham. Spurs seem destined not to qualify for the Champions League and are now sixth after Aston Villa usurped them with victory over Fulham on Tuesday night.

England captain Kane has never won a major trophy and United have emerged as the only possible Premier League club that could prise Kane from Spurs. Tottenham have endured 15 consecutive trophyless seasons.

Fourth-placed United are six points clear of Spurs and have two games in hand ahead of the clubs' meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night. United have already won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final at the weekend.

Although well-placed sources say Ten Hag is "obsessed" with Kane, United are also interested in the