‘Harry is our player, period’: New Spurs boss Nuno adamant Kane will stay
The England captain is keen to leave this summer
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Your support makes all the difference.New Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Espirito Santo has no doubts Harry Kane will be at the club next season.
The England captain is keen to leave this summer in order to further his career, but Spurs hold all of the power as the striker is under contract for another three years and have insisted all along that he is not for sale.
Kane, who is attracting interest from Manchester City, is currently on holiday following the Three Lions’ run to the Euro 2020 final and he is not due back for pre-season until 2 August.
Nuno, who was holding his first press conference since being announced as Jose Mourinho’s successor earlier this month, has not spoken to Kane, but is looking forward to meeting him.
“I have no doubts in my mind. I have no doubts,” he said when asked about Kane. “What I wish is for Harry to recover well, to have a good rest and when he arrives he will feel that every one of us has to commit ourselves to become better. We are very ambitious, we are ambitious people and we want to do it well and no doubts on Harry on that.
“Harry is our player, period. No need to talk about anything else. Now is the moment for Harry to recover his energy, to rest. When he comes again we will have time to speak.
“We will have good conversations, but now is the moment for Harry to rest and to prepare for what’s coming. And I’m looking forward to him joining the group and start working together.
“I’m excited to work with all the players – of course he’s a top player, one of the best players in the world. What is best is to work with the best players around, and Harry’s one of the best players around.
“Harry is one of the best players in the world, that says it all.”
Harry is one of the best players in the world, that says it all
The former Wolves boss, who left Molineux at the end of last season, will work under managing director of football Fabio Paratici and performance director Steve Hitchen, and a full overhaul of the squad is required.
The former two will be mainly responsible for that, but Nuno is not expecting it to be easy.
“We’ve been talking – not only me and Fabio, Steve also,” he added. “We are aware there’s a lot of work to be done, but at the same time it’s hard work because to improve our squad, the quality we have, the talent we have, is not easy.
“And we have to find the right players who can help us, but it’s been good work and on a daily basis each moment we have the chance to speak, to share opinions – me, Fabio, Steve.
“They do their job, look at the market. I do my job on the training ground and we get together ideas and try to find the best decisions. But like I say to improve our squad is not easy.”
The 48-year-old Portuguese was appointed 72 days after Mourinho’s dismissal after a chaotic recruitment process and he was not a universally popular selection with fans. However, he is determined to make them proud.
“What we want is to make our fans proud, to make them enjoy their players, love their players, this is our focus, let’s make our fans proud, to create a good atmosphere, help the players throughout the season and every moment,” he said.
“I think they will enjoy. This is what I am telling the players, ‘Let’s enjoy ourselves’. Our football must be the reflection in the mirror of what we are doing, what we want to do, and I am totally positive the fans are going to love it.
“Fantastic club, amazing club, like you say. The best facilities in the world. We have to raise our standards so we can equal. My focus is on the inside of the pitch and I truly believe that we can do it.”