Harry Kane Tottenham
Nuno Espirito Santo has explained that Harry Kane told him of his decision to stay at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday morning. The England captain announced on social media that he would be staying at Spurs this summer to end all speculation about his future. Manchester City had shown an interest in signing the 28-year-old striker, who signed a six-year-deal in 2018, but their only bid was £75m plus £25m in add-ons, which was dismissed by Tottenham as they looked to keep the Premier League’s Golden Boot and Playmaker award winner. The Tottenham head coach explained that Kane informed him of his decision to no longer seek a move away this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo said: “I knew when I knew, when Harry told me….this morning. Great news, fantastic news. He’s much better [with his fitness]. Harry joined us for 20 minutes in the previous game. He did fantastically well. He’s progressed, he’s improving, it’s a day-by-day process and he’s an option for tomorrow.”
Spurs host Pacos de Ferreira in the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off match on Thursday night, looking to reverse a 1-0 deficit from the first game in Portugal. Kane is expected to be part of the squad but Espirito Santo would not be drawn on whether he would start.
Nuno Espiritro Santo said: “We still have decisions to make for tomorrow and more for the Watford game. Every day we have to decide. First we play the game of tomorrow. Harry is an option for tomorrow. Then we decide for the next one.”
Kane is 45 goals behind Jimmy Greaves’ 266 for Tottenham and can now focus on edging closer to that at the club this season, if not fire his way to it.
Nuno Espirito Santo said: “I am delighted that he will be with us. Then I think all the players individually must have targets and records to break but all inside of the team. I don’t see any kind of players being selfish to consider individual situations. It is inside the group and team. We have to succeed and compete and all the players are needed.”
Kane has constantly spoken about the desire to win trophies over the years, preferably with Tottenham, and Espirito Santo was asked whether had to convince the striker that he could do that with the team this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo said: “Honesty I don’t think I have to convince anyone. What I have to do is to give all that help to find solutions to make the players better, to make them perform well so the team can perform in a good way like we are doing, we are doing quite well. I think all the players have to show this belief that together we can make good things. I don’t know, you have to tell me what it says [to the Premier League]. To us it says we are able to keep one of the best players in the world, this is important.”
