Arsenal is currently down in the dumps after losing the 2023/24 Premier League to Manchester City. Despite taking the title race to the final matchday, the Gunners witnessed Pep Guardiola and Co. lift the trophy for a record fourth consecutive time. As if dealing with this heartbreak wasn’t enough, Harry Kane has rubbed more salt in the wound of Mikel Arteta and his squad by rejecting a unique request!

They say loyalty is hard to find, but a player like Kane has the world of it. Recently, the England skipper gave his time to SportBible and had a brief conversation. Interestingly, one instance saw the former Tottenham Hotspur man being handed over Arsenal’s 2024/25 season’s away kit. Kane was asked to give his autograph on the neon yellow-colored shirt. However, in an interesting turn of events, the 30-year-old refused and said, “What is that? I’m not signing that!”

Even though the former Spurs captain left the White Hart Lane during the 2023 summer window, he still pledged his alliance with his former side. Kane still seems to have hatred against the former fellow London rivals. Notably, throughout the years he spent with the Lillywhites, the derby matches often saw Arsenal fans mock Kane, especially for failing to win a trophy. Things used to get tense even more when the striker used to make the ardent Gunners suffer with his goal-scoring antics. 

Ironically, just like Arsenal endured a trophyless season, Kane also witnessed Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen lift their first-ever title. He also failed to secure any other titles for his new side. Either way, it’s quite a surprising taunting gesture from the Bavarian star, given that he earlier swore allegiance to Arsenal. But why didn’t he continue at the Emirates? 

The never-heard story of why Harry Kane never succeeded at Arsenal

Having kickstarted his career with Rovers FC Youth, Harry Kane joined Arsenal’s academy in 2001. However, just a year later, the English forward was released by the Gunner’s Youth side. Given the task to pack Kane’s bag was former Arsenal academy manager, Roy Massey. Speaking in a recent interview with talkSPORT, when asked about his decision to offload a 10-year-old Kane, he gave an interesting answer.

“Harry was a lovely young player. He was quiet, shy, didn’t have what we thought it would take to become a professional footballer and so we were totally mistaken,” said Massey. Despite questioning Kane’s ability, Massey expressed his remorse, stating that if he had had a ‘crystal ball,’ they wouldn’t have released him. As it stands today, the rest is history as Kane went on to become the greatest strikers. 

Perhaps this can be the reason why he later joined Tottenham Hotspur, a decision which shaped his career. Now here he is, deepening Arsenal’s wounds.