'Missing out on Harry Kane, MU made the biggest mistake of the past decade'

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand considers the failure to sign Harry Kane as the biggest blunder the club has committed over the past decade.

Although he left Man Utd long ago, Rio Ferdinand remains a strong supporter of the team. In a recent conversation with Michael Owen, he expressed his views on the club’s shortcoming in recruiting Harry Kane, one of the world's top forwards. The former English star believes Man Utd missed the chance to acquire this player and regards it as a wrong decision over the last 10 years.

“I think that’s the biggest mistake they’ve made in the past decade. If they had paid the price Tottenham demanded, they would have secured Kane,” Ferdinand stated.

Man Utd has struggled to find a striker capable of replacing legends like Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. Over the years, the club has experimented with several players such as Anthony Martial, Rasmus Hojlund, and Wout Weghorst, but none have proven to be a consistent and reliable goal scorer.

Ferdinand believes that if Man Utd had signed both Harry Kane and Declan Rice during the same transfer window, their current situation would be very different. “If Man United had brought in Kane and Rice, the team would be in a different place. Those two would be key motivators within the squad.”

Harry Kane had the opportunity to leave Tottenham in the summer of 2023, and Man Utd was reportedly interested in signing him. However, the club ultimately chose Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta instead of Kane. Former Man Utd coach Benni McCarthy revealed that the club’s management believed Hojlund was a longer-term, more valuable investment. Ferdinand disagreed with this decision.

“If Man Utd had just spent a few million more, they could have gotten Kane,” Ferdinand added. “It was a bad decision to pass up the chance to sign an outstanding striker like Kane over a few million.”

Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, continues to deliver impressive performances in Germany. He has scored 91 goals in 100 appearances, maintaining his elite level. With three Premier League Golden Boot awards, Kane has proven himself as one of the greatest forwards in English and European football.

Had Man Utd been more decisive in signing Kane, they might have built a stronger squad and faced fewer challenges competing for major trophies. Missing this opportunity, even if justified by financial or long-term strategic reasons, remains a decision the club will likely regret in the future.

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