Considered player to be tense, pragmatic type - one to replace Kane in the end (8)

'considered player' is the definition.
(sports player being considered in trials)

'tense pragmatic type one to replace kane in the end' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'tense' could be 't' (abbreviation used in many dictionaries) and 't' is located in the answer.
'one' could be 'li' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'li' is located in the answer.
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'rias' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

'to be' acts as a link.