Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CALAMITY KANE
Horror for Spurs as striker is ruled out until March... missing ELEVEN key games
HARRY KANE is set to miss 11 games after the Tottenham star’s worst fears were confirmed.
In a devastating blow for Spurs’ season, the ankle ligament injury he suffered on Sunday against Manchester United will keep Kane out of action until early March. That means the club’s 20-goal top scorer this term will miss league games with Chelsea and Arsenal, the EFL Cup semi-final and final – should they reach it – and probably both legs of the Champions League round-of-16 against Borussia Dortmund as well.
Kane learned the news after a scan
yesterday. The 25-year-old tweeted last night: “Injuries are part of the game but no one will be working harder to get back fit. Thanks for the messages.”
The England captain’s injury all but ends the north Londoners’ slim title hopes. It also leaves their top four and Champions League ambitions in the balance.
Spurs will be without Kane (above) for next week’s second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final at Chelsea – and the final on February 24 should they go through – as well as the FA Cup fourth round trip to Crystal Palace.
With Son Heung-min at the Asia Cup with South Korea and Vincent Janssen not in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, the club are now reliant on 33-year-old Fernando Llorente – a striker they had been willing to sell this month – to lead the line.
Spurs could now scrap their plan not to sign anyone in this window and get involved in the chase for Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson. Chelsea and West Ham are already interested.
Son, who has scored 12 goals, could be unavailable until February depending on how far South Korea progress. The final is on February 1.
Kane injured his left ankle when he was caught by United’s Phil Jones and Pochettino said after the match: “It was a clear foul, a big hit. Referee Mike Dean said he didn’t see it.”
Gareth Southgate will also be monitoring Kane’s fitness with England facing the Czech Republic (March 22) and Montenegro (March 25) in Euro 2020 qualifiers.