Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur Photo: VCG

Spurs supporters might not want to admit it, but Sunday could be the last time that they see Harry Kane in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.

The striker, who they serenade as "one of our own" after his rise through the academy, has reportedly asked to be allowed to leave the club this summer, as he looks to win silverware that has eluded him so far.

Spurs have not confirmed that Kane has asked to leave, instead issuing a statement on their focus on finishing the season strongly. "Our focus is on finishing the season as strongly as possible. That's what everyone should be focused on," the club's statement said.

Interim boss Ryan Mason, who was in the academy at the same time as Kane, did his best to downplay the big issue in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of their game against Aston Villa.

He starts tomorrow because he is our best striker and he is one of the best in the world," Mason said.

Top scorer

Kane had been involved in 35 goals this season before Spurs hosted Aston Villa, behind only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski and Barcelona's Leo Messi among Europe's big five leagues.

That could be the last home game in his Spurs career, one which has seen him rise to second behind Jimmy Greaves on Spurs record scorers list.

Mason flat out denied that Kane had asked to leave the club. "No, not that I'm aware of. All of my conversations with Harry have been about the game."

Mason might have focused on the final games of the season, but the wider football world is already looking ahead to where Kane might play next season.

Kane was reportedly persuaded to stay at Spurs last season after asking to leave in the summer. 

Jose Mourinho had replaced Mauricio Pochettino earlier in the season and Kane was convinced that would improve the team's chances of a trophy.

As it was Mourinho did get Spurs to the Carabao Cup final, but he was sacked days before the game and replaced by Mason. 

Spurs lost to Manchester City and Kane added another runners-up medal to the UEFA Champions League one he got under Pochettino.

It has also been reported that Kane would prefer to stay in the English Premier League, but would consider Spain. 

However, financial constraints at Real Madrid and Barcelona mean that neither of the Clasico giants could afford the England No.9.

Kane could cost anywhere between 150 and 200 million if Spurs chairman Daniel Levy got his way, though the impact of COVID-19 on the transfer market is yet to be fully appreciated.

It is complicated by the fact that Kane still has three years left to run on the bumper six-year contract he signed in 2018 and Levy is known as a tough negotiator.

Whatever he costs there would be interest from Spurs' fellow English Premier League teams. Either Manchester club would find space for Kane in their starting lineup, Chelsea too need a focal point for their attack.

Sky Sports reported that Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all contacted the 27-year-old's representatives CK66 to express their interest in bringing him to their clubs.

Former Manchester United full back Denis Irwin has urged Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to sign Kane.

"If any players of that quality come up you've got to be in the market and find out whether he wants to come," Irwin told BBC Radio Manchester.

"Great that Edinson Cavani has signed for another year, and what Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial can learn from, but if Harry Kane comes on the market a club like [United] has got to look at that option.

"He's a scorer of goals, a fantastic goalscorer, knows the Premier League inside out. It can't be easy for him because Spurs are his boyhood team, it's always more difficult when you want to leave, but he's at the age now he wants to challenge for trophies, so that's showing ambition."

Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp thinks that Kane might choose Liverpool or Manchester City if he is leaving for silverware but if he signed for Manchester United then he could turn them into title winners.

"I would think if you wanted to win trophies you'd have to go to Man City or Liverpool. They'd be the two, but he could turn United into title winners," Redknapp told talkSPORT Breakfast.

"He's that good, with the goals he'd bring, they wouldn't be far off it. They weren't far off it this year."

Destabilizing effect

Kane's departure could have an even more destabilizing effect on Spurs than solely losing his goals, with Redknapp warning that others may follow their leader in asking to leave.

Redkapp suggested that it could have an effect most of all on Kane's co-conspirator Son Heung-min, the South Korean skipper with whom the No.9 has formed a telepathic partnership.

"Yeah it would do. Son would be one," Redknapp said, though he countered that other players who have been less impressive might not want to leave. "A lot of them have not had great years and they're not going to do any better than Tottenham.

"Some of them are quite lucky to be at Spurs. Spurs are a big club, you look at their training ground, it's incredible, their stadium - it's all in place."

Kane though sees greener pastures and winners medals elsewhere.