Tottenham transfer news: Diego Maradona tells Napoli president to 'sell Gonzalo Higuain and buy Harry Kane'

Maradona believes Higuain will leave Napoli this summer, and has identified Tottenham's Kane as the ideal replacement

Harry Kane would be the prefect replacement for Gonzalo Higuain at Napoli, says Diego Maradona (Getty)

Argentina footballing legend Diego Maradona has urged his former club Napoli to cash in on striker Gonzalo Higuain this summer in order to fund a move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

Maradona, who fired Napoli to their most recent and only Serie A titles in 1986/87 and 1989/90, has revealed he has been in contact with the Napoli board and has discussed the future of Higuain with the club’s outspoken president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, ahead of the summer transfer window.

While Napoli have shown a tendency to sell their biggest names – following the big money departures of Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani when Paris Saint-Germain came calling in 2012 and 2013 respectively – they have reinvested smartly to keep them in the fight for the title where Inter Milan and AC Milan have fallen away in recent years.

Napoli sit second in the Serie A table, although their defeat to Roma on Monday saw Juventus clinch a fifth consecutive Scudetto success, and their 26-year wait for a third league title could lead to Higuain being moved on and a new striker brought in to try and topple the Italian champions – something Maradona believes will happen this summer.

Speaking to Piunne TV, Maradona said: "I know [Napoli president Auerelio] De Laurentiis, and I think he will sell Higuain. "[Higuain] gave his best to Napoli, I don't think he can repeat this kind of form. We already saw it happen with Lavezzi.

"With the money he will earn, he will have to build a great team.”

Diego Maradona believes Napoli will sell Gonzalo Higuain in the summer (Getty)

The former Argentina national team coach and World Cup winner went on to identify Tottenham striker Kane as his perfect replacement for Higuain, with the 22-year-old enjoying two goal-laden seasons since breaking into the Spurs first team that has brought 45 goals in 69 Premier League appearances since the start of last season.

"It's not easy to replace Higuain, if it was up to me, I would choose Tottenham's Kane,” 55-year-old Maradona added. “I don't know how much he costs, but I would sign him up without hesitation.”

Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Kane, although Spurs are unwilling to enter negotiations for their prized-asset and will not consider anything below £60m given his form over the past two years. Kane has also emerged as England’s lead striker heading into Euro 2016, and his performances in France could go a long way to determining whether Napoli head Maradona’s advice and pursue Kane in the summer.

Higuain meanwhile has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past with both Arsenal and Chelsea eyeing the Argentina international. The Gunners were close to sealing a £34m move for Higuain in 2013 when he was at Real Madrid, only for Napoli to blow Arsenal out of the water with a £43m offer and take the forward to Italy.

A return to Madrid has been mentioned this season, although Real’s top target – should they sell Karim Benzema – is believed to be another of their former players in Juventus striker Alvaro Morata.