Craig Bellamy has suggested the quality of Harry Kane is the reason Tottenham didn’t sign another attacker this summer.
Kane scored 41 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions for Spurs last season, hitting 30 Premier League goals for the first time and winning the Golden Boot with England at the World Cup.
Tottenham have struggled to sign back-up for Kane over recent years, with Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente both failing to provide adequate competition or even cover for the club’s talisman.
And Bellamy thinks potential summer recruits will have been put off by the thought of playing second fiddle to Kane all season.
“What some managers might say is ‘you’d be great for him because you can keep him on his toes and if you play and you train better, you’ll get your chance’,” Bellamy said on Sky Sports’ The Debate broadcast (via football.london).
“I [as a striker] ain’t taking that gamble, because I don’t think Spurs fans would accept it and I know the English media won’t accept it. You can’t have your golden boy sitting on the bench, it wouldn’t happen.
“So I know straight away I’m not being held responsible for that because he’s England’s future, he’s the one they’re all pinning their hopes on, he’s the one that gets goals.
“This is a battle any forward would want to stay away from.”
As a result, Spurs were forced to hold on to Llorente despite the fact the Spaniard only scored once in the Premier League last season.
Vincent Janssen is also still on the books, although he likely would have left the club over the summer had he not suffered a foot injury that required surgery.
Meanwhile, Gary Neville has defended Kane amid suggestions the 25-year-old is suffering from fatigue – read more here.