Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has told us Harry Kane still has “something to prove” after his failed move to Manchester City last summer, but that the Spurs striker will use this to inspire him to the Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards this season.
Kane reportedly came close to moving to Man City last year but ultimately had to stay put in North London, though Ferdinand is expecting big things from the striker in a Spurs shirt this term.
“Harry Kane will win the Golden Boot this season,” Ferdinand told us. “I think the (Antonio) Conte effect and how fit he gets his teams will help him. Harry Kane normally never scores in August but I think he might change that this season with the impact of a full pre-season under Conte. You saw the impact it had on Romelu Lukaku under Conte at Inter Milan in Serie A.
“Harry looked sharp in pre-season and I just feel that he’s got something to prove again this season. Even though he’s been a phenomenal player for so many years, I still think there’s something in him where he’s thinking, ‘I didn’t get to move to Manchester City last year. I’m going to prove to people this season why I didn’t go’.”
Ferdinand added: “I think Kane will win Player of the Year this season too. I think for goals and assists, he’ll be right up there in those charts. And I think that Spurs will be closer to Manchester City and Liverpool this year, and he’ll have a big impact in that sense.”
While Ferdinand backed Kane for Golden Boot and Player of the Year glory, he believes Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus will prove to be the Premier League’s signing of the season.
“I think he goes and gives Arsenal what they’ve been missing,” Ferdinand said. “He’s somebody that they can rely upon up front to score the goals. They’ve had (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang, who was indifferent at times. They’ve had (Alexandre) Lacazette, who didn’t get to the level they were expecting.
“Jesus goes in there and the fact that he’s now the designated number nine and the man they’re relying on, with that responsibility, I think his confidence will give him another 10% minimum. At City you weren’t seeing the best Jesus because he always thought, ‘I’m always going to get pulled out of the team, they’re always going to put someone else in instead of me, they’ll play a false nine instead of me’ – and that does something to your confidence.”
Ferdinand is also expecting Raheem Sterling to have an impressive season following his move to Chelsea from Manchester City.
“He had the most minutes under Pep (Guardiola) since he’s been there, which shows the amount of influence he had at City,” Ferdinand said. “I was surprised there wasn’t as much, not anger, but disbelief from the City fans, and there wasn’t as much ‘yes we’ve got him’ at Chelsea. It was weird, it was one of those signings… And the price – you think for the output that he’s had in his career at City alone, I was expecting more both ways.
“I don’t know why (it was like that)? If you ask every right-back in the league who their hardest player to play against at left-wing is, he’d be in everyone’s top two or three, easy, and top of most lists. It’s a big season for him and I think he’ll have a good opportunity to have a big impact.”
Ferdinand also discussed his young players to star in the Premier League this season, naming Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.
“Martinelli – it’s a big season for him,” he said. “I remember speaking to Mikel Arteta a couple of seasons ago and he said, ‘this kid could go right to the top’. But he’s had injuries. If he stays injury-free he will be a weapon for Arsenal this season.”
Ferdinand added: “Eze at Palace. He got injured last season, he did his Achilles. He’s one to watch, he’s got huge talent. The coaches at Queens Park Rangers said he was an amazing talent, but more than that, he was a very good professional. With the freedom that Patrick Vieira has given him in his Palace team, I think he’s got an opportunity to really stamp his authority this season.”
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