Tottenham: Jose Mourinho says it is ‘impossible’ for Harry Kane to leave Spurs

The new manager also praised chairman Daniel Levy as someone to ‘fear’ in football

Jose Mourinho says that it is “impossible” for Harry Kane to leave Tottenham Hotspur, as he praised Daniel Levy as someone to “fear” in the game and “great” to be on your side. The new Spurs manager will have similarly greatly pleased his chairman, as he said he doesn’t feel the need to make any January transfers due to the quality of the squad.

Mourinho had been expanding on how he had previously tried to sign so many Tottenham players in previous jobs, but found pursuing Kane a “waste of time”. That was largely down to the resoluteness of Levy, and “his vision for the club”. Mourinho did stress that part of that vision now has to be players like Kane winning titles, “to go with him to the next level”.

“I think as managers we must have also this feeling of what is possible, what is not possible,” Mourinho said. “And I think when you try to buy Kane it’s just an impossible mission.”

“He’s one of the best strikers in the world, no doubt, no doubt. He just needs his team, with him, if his team is England or if his team is Tottenham, he just needs his team to bring him, or to go with him to the next level. And what is the next level? Titles. I think he needs to win, with us, with England, he needs to bring something to highlight the quality that he has as a player. The goals he scores, what he brings to the team. Top striker. And you’re right, I’ve worked with some of the top ones.

“This is not about me. This is about Mr Levy, this is about the club. He has a vision, and part of that vision is to make the club better, bigger. There is no better and bigger football club without a bigger and better football team. So keeping the best players is obviously part of that plan. So it’s nothing new with me.

“It was not like a promise to me, it was not like I said ‘I only go if, I only go if’, there were no ‘ifs’. It was him [Levy], part of his explanation about his vision for the club. That without being specific about the players, he told me he does not sell players when the manager doesn’t want to sell.”

Mourinho said he was very pleased to have Levy on his side, as he explained the chairman’s reputation within the game.

“I used to be in clubs that fear him. It’s true. He’s powerful. He’s a businessman, but he’s a football man. He has big experience, a part of his intelligence overall, he’s a football man, he understands football, he understands the industry, he understands the evolution, he’s very clever, he’s very intelligent, it’s great to have him on my side.”

Mourinho also explained that he is very happy with the quality of the squad. The Independent understands the Portuguese told Levy he agrees it is one of the best in the Premier League and doesn’t need many additions.

“I don’t need transfers. That’s the basic thing. So I think during the process, we are going to need ticks, you know. You lose a player you get a player, you sell a player you get a player, but this is readjustments to your squad.

“But the more you like a squad the less money you need. You go to a club: ‘I don’t like the centre back, I don’t like the keeper, I don’t like the striker, I don’t like the midfield player’ – more than football you need incredible I have these assets the ones that are let’s say, and end products are almost the ones that are there to develop. I don’t need players.”