Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has told Sports Mole that the club "would be gambling" if they were to firm up their reported interest in Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane.

The 2014-15 campaign was a breakthrough one for Kane, who scored 31 goals in all competitions for the North Londoners, as well as going on to mark his senior England debut with a goal only 79 seconds after he had come on as a second-half substitute against Lithuania at Wembley.

Last term, Louis van Gaal's United found the net on just 62 occasions in 38 outings, which was their second lowest return since the introduction of the Premier League in 1992.

With Van Gaal having decided against turning Radamel Falcao's season-long loan stint at Old Trafford into a permanent move, and increasing doubts over the future of Robin van Persie, there have been suggestions that the Dutch boss will be in the market for at least one centre-forward this summer.

There have been strong links of late with 21-year-old Kane, but Cole, who scored 121 goals in 275 appearances for the Red Devils, believes that, with a rumoured £40m price tag on his head, United may be better off turning their attention elsewhere.

"He's had one season and being brutally honest, he did very well. When your luck is in, it's in," said the 43-year-old. "Whether it's paper talk or not, £40m is a hell of a lot of money for where Manchester United need to try to get. They need to do well in the Premier League and in Europe.

"At that money, you would be gambling [on Kane]. It could be all paper talk, but £40m is a hell of a lot money."

As far as alternative options to Kane go, Cole suggested that United should launch an audacious bid for a player that is already based in Manchester.

"Luis Suarez went for around £60m last summer, so I'd be putting another £20m on top [of the reported Kane fee] and try to find a top, top striker. What I'd do, I'd be cheeky and bid £60m for Sergio Aguero, just like Manchester City did with Wayne Rooney a few years ago," he added.

Kane was second to Aguero in the Premier League's goalscoring chart last season, with the Argentine firing in 26 goals - five more than the Spurs frontman - despite a number of injury problems.