Jaap Stam has expressed his thoughts on Manchester United’s decision to step back from pursuing Harry Kane three years ago, stating that the England captain was – and still is – the kind of player the club needs to return to the top of English football.
United had long been interested in Kane, with the club targeting the striker in the summer of 2023 after Cristiano Ronaldo left midway through the previous season. However, the Red Devils eventually cooled their interest, reportedly due to concerns about entering a bidding war they believed would be unsuccessful. There was also an understanding at Old Trafford that Kane’s ambitions for the Champions League might work against them, as other European clubs were better positioned to win the competition.
Kane eventually ended his 19-year tenure at Tottenham, making a record-breaking £95 million move to Bayern Munich. He has since solidified his status as one of the most lethal attackers in the game, scoring 140 goals and providing 33 assists in 145 appearances for the German giants.
Later that same summer, United signed Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £38 million, but the forward struggled in his first two seasons before being loaned to Napoli last summer. Three years later, Stam is still thinking about what could have been if Kane had joined United, despite the striker winning a second Bundesliga title this season.
“Harry Kane was linked with Manchester United once, and we keep thinking about that, but we don’t want to dwell on it anymore,” Stam said. “However, he is the type of player we needed to score goals because, in every aspect, a striker needs to play like that.”
Kane’s Bayern Munich missed out on the Champions League final this year, falling to PSG in the semi-finals. According to Stam, the loss will have hurt Kane deeply, and the forward will be even more determined to add silverware to his collection next season.
“He needs to win a major trophy as an individual,” Stam added. “I’ve seen him play so many times now, especially lately, over the last couple of years, even at Bayern. It’s a great team, and there’s a lot of pressure there. If you watch him play, you see how effective he is, not only scoring goals but also dropping deeper, linking up the play, and his high work-rate. I think he is a great, great professional.”
Stam believes Kane’s character and personality make him someone who deserves to win a trophy. “To me, he looks like the type of guy you want to see win a trophy because of his attitude and how he conducts himself within the team. Yes, for him, it would be very nice.”
Manchester United have recently been linked with AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, with the Portuguese player’s future at San Siro uncertain. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are growing tired of waiting for consistent performances from Leao and may consider selling him in the upcoming transfer window.
Stam, a member of United’s treble-winning side in 1999, believes Leao has potential but stresses that the club must carefully evaluate whether he would fit into the dressing room.
“Maybe a swap between Rafael Leao and Marcus Rashford could work,” Stam suggested. “Leao is also a good player. He has shown his potential at Milan, of course, in what he can do. I think he is a player that should be on the list of targets for Manchester United.”
However, Stam emphasized that the club must look beyond just skill. “You need to have a look not only at the skill of a player, but also at the mentality of players. You need to consider the situation where the club is, what player they are bringing in that is going to help the club going forward, so that you don’t get any irritations from players who are not being picked to start.”
Undoubtedly one of the most notable success stories under Michael Carrick’s interim management has been the resurgence of Kobbie Mainoo. The midfielder had been sidelined by Ruben Amorim, with speculation about a possible departure in January. However, Mainoo won back his place in the team and signed a new long-term contract.
“Kobbie Mainoo staying will be a great signing,” Stam said. “According to Ruben Amorim, Kobbie didn’t fit in his system. There were talks about him leaving the club, which was, of course, unthinkable for us as ex-players because we know how the club acted with young players in the past.”
Stam highlighted the importance of supporting young talent. “It’s very important that the owners and the recruitment staff have their own ideas about how to build a club, how they want to be successful, and whether they want to implement young players.”
Mainoo’s development under Carrick has been impressive. “You can see now in this system that he’s such a good player. Technically, he’s so good on the ball. He’s got skills. His positional play is good. You can see that he can tackle, he can win balls. He’s got a bright idea about attacking football and giving other players the opportunity to also get in better positions.”
Stam praised Mainoo’s resilience. “For a young player like that, it’s great that he’s done that. It’s great that he picked that up as well after a very hard period for him. He probably learned a lot from that situation, although it’s not the best for him.”
Looking ahead, United are expected to focus on strengthening their midfield in the summer. With the added demands of Champions League qualification, Stam believes the club may need to bring in two new midfielders.
“Everybody talks about replacing Casemiro, who had a great season this year and had such an impact,” Stam said. “He changed his game compared to the season before, becoming much fitter, scoring goals, and using his experience to help other players within his preferred system.”
Stam believes the club must address the midfield position. “They need to bring in one, or perhaps even two, extra midfield players who have the legs and the ability on the ball to handle the build-up and guide the team alongside Kobbie Mainoo. This would allow Bruno Fernandes to play as a No.10, which is very important, as we’ve seen at United.”
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