Real Madrid president hails Harry Kane as a great player

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has hailed Tottenham striker Harry Kane as a great player but insists he has not been mentioned as a future signing.

Kane has been heavily linked with a big money move to Madrid at the end of the season after arguably playing the best football of his career over the last two months.

Karim Benzema’s place in the Madrid team has come under scrutiny in recent weeks but Perez has moved to deny the Frenchman’s position is underthreat after manager Zinedine Zidane called him the perfect striker for the club.

“Signing Harry Kane has not passed through my head,” Perez told Cadena Cope, via The Daily Mirror. “He is a great player and in addition he is young.

“He has many years to progress, but we are delighted with [Karim] Benzema and with all of the team.

“I didn’t ask Tottenham’s president for the price because he would have told me that he is worth €250m (£223m).”

Kane has set his sights on matching the achievements of Madrid No.7 Cristiano Ronaldo and there is a feeling that the 24-year-old will need to join one of the elite sides in Europe to fulfil those ambitions.

The England international has scored 12 goals in 12 appearances in league and European competition this season, while the Tottenham No.10 is also one of the highest rated players in the Champions League (8.74).

Furthermore, only Lionel Messi (36) has scored more goals in Europe’s top five leagues in 2017 than Kane (29).