Harry Kane was the key for Man Utd! Red Devils told failed transfer for England hitman was club's 'biggest mistake in a decade' with Rio Ferdinand & Michael Owen in full agreement

Harry Kane Bayern Munich 2025-26

Harry Kane could have altered the direction of Manchester United's future had he been signed in 2023, Michael Owen and Rio Ferdinand believe.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Owen was appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. The former United and Liverpool striker referenced the England captain and how he could have been a game-changer for the Red Devils had he been snared from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 - a sentiment former team-mate Ferdinand was in full agreement with, claiming it was United's 'biggest mistake in a decade'.

Michael Owen and Rio Ferdinand discuss Harry Kane on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

When it became clear that Kane was considering departing Spurs after several years of tentative links with Manchester rivals United and City, the Red Devils were viewed as having a genuine chance of landing the then-29-year-old striker, but in the end they opted to sign a younger option in Rasmus Hojlund, whose £72 million ($96m) fee ended up being closer than anticipated to the €100m (£86m/$116m) Bayern paid for Kane the same summer. It would ultimately prove to be a costly mistake by United.

WHAT OWEN & FERDINAND SAID

Owen said: "I mean, Harry Kane should have...Should have a year ago, a couple of years ago. That should have happened, I think. They could have got him, I think."

Ferdinand agreed: "That's the biggest mistake I think they've made in the last 10 years. Yeah, well, I think if they go and pay the number that Spurs want, they would have got him."

The former defender continued: "And if we're to believe that, then I think if it didn't happen because of a couple of million here or there, I think it was a terrible decision. I honestly think, I'll say this and I'm convinced. If United had gone and got Declan Rice and Harry Kane in that window, Man United are in a different place now. Because again, it goes back to the environment. Those two drive an environment, I think." 

FC Bayern München v Borussia Mönchengladbach - Bundesliga

WHAT NEXT FOR KANE AND UNITED?

Kane ultimately ended his trophy drought by securing the Bundesliga title last season. He will aim to go one better this season by challenging across domestic competitions in Germany and in the Champions League, before captaining England at the World Cup next summer. There is still a school of thought that he may yet return to the Premier League later in his career.

As for United, they will hope they have solved their striker problem with the marquee signing of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig this summer. The Red Devils have seen an untimely decline since their failed pursuit of Kane and there is a lot of work to be done in order for the club to return to challenging for titles once again.

Listen to the full Rio Meets Michael Owen interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.