Real chief Perez: 'Magnificent' Kane would cost 250 million euros
It would take a world-record 250-million euro (US$294 million) fee to land the on-fire Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur, according to Real Madrid President Florentino Perez.
The English striker's 13 goals in 12 games this season has sparked rumors he could be the latest star to swap Spurs for Spain following in the footsteps of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.
Speculation was fuelled further last week when Real's former president Ramon Calderon said he expected the club to try to sign Kane to extend its current cycle at the summit of European football.
However, having had his fingers burned in paying a then world-record 100 million euros for Bale in 2013, Perez is wary of trying to negotiate with Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy.
"I think he is a magnificent player and, moreover, he is young with many years ahead of him to progress," Perez told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope after attending FIFA's annual awards in London.
And Perez believes Levy's reputation for delaying moves until late in the transfer window to get the best possible deal means he would want more than the 222 million euros Paris Saint-Germain paid to snatch Neymar from Barcelona in August.
"No, (I haven't asked the price) because if I ask, he will tell me 250 million," Perez added.
"We have made friends with Tottenham over the time it took to sign Luka Modric and Gareth Bale as with the two of them we ended up signing them on the final day of the window.
"We ended up having a good friendship and he (Levy) always says to me when we win the European Cup: 'Thanks for winning the European Cup with my players'."
Real's feat in retaining the UEFA Champions League was rewarded on Monday as Cristiano Ronaldo won FIFA's "The Best" player for the second straight year, whilst Zinedine Zidane picked up the best coach award and four other Real players — Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos and Modric — joined Ronaldo in the team of the year.
However, the European champion was unable to get the better of Kane's Spurs in a 1-1 UCL draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.
And Kane will have another chance to show Real what it is missing when the sides meet again on November 1 at Wembley with top spot in Group H at stake.