Former England international Kevin Phillips has urged AFC Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson against joining Tottenham Hotspur unless Harry Kane leaves Spurs first.
Tottenham have emerged as one of a clutch of Premier League sides interested in a summer transfer for Wilson following the Cherries’ relegation to the Championship, with West Ham and Newcastle United also keen on the forward valued at around £20million.
Wilson is also believed to have informed his Bournemouth teammates that he would like to leave the south coast side in order to keep his place in the England squad, having been awarded his Three Lions debut by Gareth Southgate and featured regularly in his recent plans.
Phillips feels a move to north London would only be detrimental to Wilson’s hopes of earning a place in Southgate’s future squads ahead of next summer’s rescheduled European Championship, as the 28-year-old would only serve as the back-up to Kane at Spurs.
“If Harry Kane moved on, I would go to Tottenham but assuming Kane stays he will be the second striker,” Phillips told Football Insider.
“I know what it is like to play football up in the North East, Sunderland fans will not thank me for this but I would go to Newcastle if I was Wilson.
“If he was to go to Newcastle or West Ham he is going to play because Haller and Joelinton have not exactly lit it up. Callum Wilson would have a fantastic chance of playing week in, week out and I would want that if I was moving.”
Would you spend over £20m to sign Wilson?
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Wilson was a regular for Bournemouth on route to their relegation from the Premier League, with the Coventry-born striker featuring 35 times, scoring eight times and penning three assists.
Like Phillips says, it would be unlikely that Wilson would earn as much game time at Tottenham if Jose Mourinho still has Kane to call on, with the England captain the clear number one at the club.
Kane featured in the Spurs starting line-up on 76% of the possible occasions during their Premier League fixtures this season, while scoring 18 goals and penning two assists over his 29 outings – only failing to feature through illness and injury.
The 27-year-old’s longest goal drought also only lasted three fixtures, excluding time out injured or ill, whereas Wilson failed to score – or assist – a top-flight strike between finding the back of the net on matchday 7 and 24.