Real Madrid eyes Tottenham striker Harry Kane

Real Madrid will continue to monitor the progress of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane despite the 21-year-old just having signed a new contract that ties him to the club until 2020.

The European Cup holders know Kane's new five-year deal, coupled with the difficulty they have had in the past negotiating with Daniel Levy, would make him a very difficult to get inside the next two years.

But they also see Tottenham as a selling club having already taken Luka Modric and Gareth Bale from them and so they will continue to watch the development of the England Under 21 striker who is likely to move up to Roy Hodgson's senior squad next month.

Kane is already big news in Madrid because of the way he has kept Spain international and former Real striker Roberto Soldadao out of the team.

Representatives of the club's scouting network have watched him several times this season, including on New Year's day when he got the first and the fourth in Spurs' 5-3 win over Chelsea.

His performance at the weekend has only toughened their resolve to be part of any future race to sign him.

On the same day that Kane was single-handedly deciding the north London derby, Real were losing the Madrid derby and their famed front three of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo were failing to muster a single shot on target.

On Monday, Madrid's Diario AS's front page headline read 'The BBC under suspicion' with a lack of intensity leveled at Bale, Benzema and Cristiano.

With Benzema and Ronaldo, 27 and 30 respectively, and Real with only Jese Rodriguez coming through, the club are likely to sign a new forward this summer. That is likely to be too early for any move for Kane but the Tottenham forward is now firmly on their list of future targets.

Credit: Pete Jenson/SportsMail