Lisandro Lopez’s failed Tottenham move may have helped birth superstar Kane

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Lisandro Lopez has revealed he came close to a move to Tottenham Hotspur back in 2013.

The striker was playing for French side Olympique Lyonnais at the time, and grew frustrated because he was asked by then-manager Remi Garde to play out wide despite a good goalscoring record.

Speaking to Identidad Racinguista, he revealed: “After three years and nearly 80 goals, the manager decided to play me on the left and Gomis up top, Lacazette on the right and Grenier or Gourcuff behind.

“I wasn’t happy. After six months, I gave him the captain’s armband and said I’d rather be a sub than play in that role. At the end of the season I had the chance to go to Juventus, but the chairman refused.”

Lopez claims that he received a call from Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas about possibly going to play for the north Londoners. A fee was even agreed for his transfer but ‘the chairman’ pulled the plug on the deal.

The Daily Express reported at the time that Spurs might have been able to pick him up for just £5 million.

It was frustration for Lopez, but perhaps it was one of Daniel Levy’s best ever decisions.

Kane might never have played

2013 was around the time Harry Kane was just starting to break into the Spurs first-team.

He made his Premier League debut in 2012, but the 2013/14 season was his breakout campaign.

He went on to make 10 appearances in the competition and 19 in total for the club that season.

Kane showed enough to prove that he could be the main man going forwards, and in 2014/15 he plundered 21 Premier League goals and 31 in all competitions.

He is now widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, and he may never have achieved the superstar status he has now had Villas-Boas successfully signed a 30-year-old Lopez in 2013.

The Argentinian would likely have limited Kane’s chances, and the Englishman may never have got the ball rolling.