Powered By Pixels
02 April 2021

Jose Mourinho reacts to Harry Kane’s comments over Tottenham future

02 April 2021

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is not concerned by Harry Kane’s uncertain comments about his future at the club and says the striker should be happy with his current situation.

Kane raised eyebrows during the international break when he said the topic of his future at Spurs was a “hard question to answer right now” and that “we’ll see where we go” after this summer’s European Championship.

The England captain, who still has another three years left on his current contract, has been honest in the past about being content to say at the north London club providing he sees suitable progression, but with Mourinho’s side enduring an inconsistent season, speculation has been rife about a possible move away.

Asked whether he was bothered that Kane was not more defiant in his commitment to the club, Mourinho said: “No. No. I want Harry to be with us what he has been. I want Harry to repeat against Newcastle the same performance he had against Aston Villa.

“When I say the same performance, I mean the same commitment, the same desire, the same team spirit, the same leadership. That’s what I want and I know that I’m going to have that.

“I cannot play that game (of speculation). I have to focus on what he is for us.

“Of course I’m always pleased when my players go to national teams and do well so I’m happy he does well with England. I’m happy that England wins obviously but I cannot play the game of what people say, what the people doesn’t say.

“What I know is he’s professional. Apart from being talented or not, it’s very important that a player is professional. And he’s very professional. I’m very, very pleased to have him and I repeat: I’m happy to see him and all the other guys go to national team and do well.

“It’s always better when they come back after positive results. I think he’s living a good period, he’s doing well for club and country. Ahead of him before the end of the season he has nice challenges: a final to play, Premier League to fight for every point and then he has a Euros, and the possibility to play a final at Wembley. I think he has to be happy with the moment he’s living.”

Mourinho could not hide his frustration, however, at seeing his side’s rearranged Premier League game with Southampton scheduled in for the midweek before the Carabao Cup final.

Spurs will host the Saints on Wednesday, 21 April before taking on Manchester City, who also play on the same night, at Wembley on 25 April.

Mourinho says he is not surprised his side have been scheduled to play a rearranged game in the midweek before the Carabao Cup final (PA Wire)

Mourinho said: “I am happy that it is Wednesday, I thought it could have been Thursday or Friday. I’m not saying Saturday, but could be Thursday or Friday.

“In the beginning of the competition when we played against Chelsea we played Sunday and Tuesday, so it is nothing that surprises me.

“In fact when we were knocked out of the Europa League and we had all these midweeks open, I immediately thought, I had a feeling that the game against Southampton was not going to be played in one of these weeks.

“It is nothing that surprises me. I don’t want to speak about it more.

“I don’t want to use it as any kind of excuse or to try to give less responsibility to us and more responsibility to our opponent. That is what it is. We will be there. On April 25, we will be there.”

Spurs resume their Premier League campaign with a trip to Newcastle on Sunday.

Son Heung-min will play after overcoming a hamstring injury, while Sergio Reguilon is also fit following a foot complaint.

“Son is good. He trained with the team fully for the first time this morning (Friday),” Mourinho said. “Yesterday he was coming to do partial exercises, not a complete session.

“This morning was the first time he did it and last week he didn’t train at all. So it was completely impossible for him to play in the international period.

“It would have also been impossible to play if the game was yesterday or Tuesday, so this time was a good time for him to recover from injury.

“So at the moment we have (Matt) Doherty and Ben Davies out and apart from that everyone is fit.”

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox