Kane plans Tottenham return by end of week after Florida detour
Hunsettled striker angers club after delay in joining pre-season hlevy keen to hold talks after agreeing £47m deal for Romero
Harry Kane is planning to report back to Tottenham Hotspur by the end of the week, despite making a pit-stop in Florida on his way back from a holiday in the Bahamas.
The England captain missed a second day of pre-season training yesterday and is not expected to return before the weekend, as he will be required to complete a period of isolation on his arrival in the UK.
Kane has been holidaying in the Bahamas since the European Championship but, rather than flying back to the UK to begin his isolation, it is understood the 28-year-old stopped off in Florida, which is also on the UK Government’s amber travel list, before returning home.
Tottenham have been made aware of his movements and remain disappointed that Kane did not report back on Monday of this week for Covid testing ahead of joining pre-season training.
The Kane saga has not, however, stopped Spurs from continuing with their own preparations as the club have agreed a deal with Atalanta, worth an initial £42 million rising to £47million, for defender Cristian Romero and have allowed goalkeeper Joe Hart to join Celtic.
Chairman Daniel Levy is keen to hold face-to-face talks with Kane, who is hoping to force through a move to Manchester City. There are even suggestions City will hold back Sergio Aguero’s old No10 shirt, rather than giving it to Jack Grealish, in the hope they can sign Kane by the end of the transfer window.
But Levy is adamant that his hand will not be forced by Kane and there is disagreement over the supposed gentlemen’s agreement struck between the pair last summer.
Kane believes he has an agreement in place to leave Tottenham following another trophyless season, having first asked to go 12 months ago. But Levy has always been against selling his star man to a Premier League rival and wants at least £150 million.
City have so far indicated a willingness to start the bidding for Kane at £100 million.
Kane’s actions have prompted debate among former professionals and Tottenham fans, some of whom understand his desire to leave, while others believe he should honour his contract.
But Kane feels that accusations he has “gone to war” with Tottenham have been overblown and that he has done no more than reiterate his position. The six-year contract Kane signed in 2018 still has three years to run and Levy is desperate to do everything in his power to keep him for at least one more year.
Tottenham host City in their first game of the new Premier League season on Aug 15 and also face Wolverhampton Wanderers, Watford and a two-leg Europa Conference League play-off against Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira or Larne FC of Northern Ireland before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.