Harry Kane to stay or go? Former midfielder advises striker after Tottenham's loss

Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, to make it four straight League Cup triumphs under Pep Guardiola.

As the Premier League leaders celebrated their victory in front of the dejected Spurs players, there was one question being bandied about by pundits and former players watching the game, "What next for Harry Kane?"

The north London club are in a quandary after having sacked the manager that got them to the Carabao Cup final – Jose Mourinho – just days before the final. On top of that, they are now facing the prospect of losing the club's talisman Kane.

The England international had always been clear that he is keen to win trophies with Spurs but despite his goal-scoring heroics every season, the club has failed to capture any silverware apart from a runners-up medal in the Champions League and now in the Carabao Cup.

Ryan Mason, Spurs' interim manager, admitted that the club is at least "four or five years" behind Guardiola's City side, who dominated the game from start to finish with Kane failing to register a single touch inside the opposition's box.

However, according to former City defender Micah Richards, Spurs' future will depend a lot on Kane's decision to stay or go. He is certain that the new managerial appointment can only be confirmed once the club settles any debate around the striker's future.

"It depends on if they keep Harry Kane or not. That will have an impact on who takes the Spurs job, if we're being realistic. If you sold your striker, which might happen now, that will dictate who the manager will be," Richards said, as quoted on Sky Sports.

"You always look at rebuilding, but if you lose your talisman, it's a massive impact. Anyone who has tried to come in and be second choice to Harry Kane, it hasn't worked out. That's Spurs' priority now, get him nailed down, and then worry about the manager afterwards," he added.

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes Kane will not be shunned by the Spurs fans if he decides to seek greener pastures in search of trophies. He believes Spurs need to find a manager for the long-term while also holding on to their best players if they are to have any chances of appeasing their fans and challenging at the sharp end.

"Nobody would begrudge him leaving. Right now, the way it is, with the disarray of not having a manager at the club," Redknapp said.

"It's too big a club to have the situation where managers come in and out too quickly, they have to keep hold of their best players, because if they don't, it will be a difficult time once the crowd comes back in," he added.