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Harry Kane: Nuno ignoring transfer speculation with Dane Scarlett set for first senior Tottenham start

Harry Kane wants to leave Tottenham for Manchester City before the transfer deadline  (PA)
Harry Kane wants to leave Tottenham for Manchester City before the transfer deadline (PA)

Nuno Espirito Santo says Tottenham are lucky to have Harry Kane and insists he is paying no attention to the speculation over the striker’s future.

Kane's situation at Spurs is increasingly the subject of claim and counter-claim, as the England captain attempts to engineer a move to Manchester City in the final fortnight of the transfer window.

Kane has returned to training with the Spurs first team after missing Sunday’s win over City but was not included in the travelling squad for Thursday's Europa Conference League play-off first leg against Pacos de Ferreira.

Speaking ahead of the game, Nuno revealed he had had breakfast with Kane before the flight to Portugal on Wednesday morning and insisted the club is paying no attention to the constant speculation.

"Today we had breakfast together," Nuno told reporters.

"Maybe I’m the only one who doesn’t really care about what’s been said and written outside because you cannot control this and honestly, with all my respect, it doesn’t really matter.

"What matters is what is happening behind closed doors, and what is happening behind the doors is that Harry is our player.

“He’s preparing himself, training today [Wednesday], he’s going to train tomorrow and again on Friday, joining the group. This is how we operate.

"We don’t really pay much attention to what’s said outside regarding the situation of Harry.

“Harry is our player, one of the best players in the world, and we are very lucky to have him.”

Kane has made himself available to play for Spurs but remains desperate to join City before the August 31 transfer deadline and is increasingly frustrated with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, who is determined not to sell the 28-year-old.

Kane believes Levy has broken a gentleman's agreement to consider offers for him this summer and is also thought to believe the chairman gave the green light for him to return late to pre-season training, despite disappointment at the club when he failed to report back from holiday on August 2.

Dane Scarlett is set to make his first senior Spurs start against Pacos de Ferreira (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Dane Scarlett is set to make his first senior Spurs start against Pacos de Ferreira (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Asked if the situation could affect Kane’s focus, Nuno said: "What we must be sure of is that when we decide to put a player on the pitch we have to consider all of the aspects – the fitness and the mental aspects.

“We are here to support all of the players equally. Harry has all of our support."

In Kane's absence, Nuno revealed that 18-year-old Dane Scarlett was set to make his first senior start for Spurs against Pacos after impressing in pre-season.

"We have big, big expectations regarding Dane because he did so well in pre-season. You recall the game against Leyton Orient in which he scored and he was involved in many of the games in pre-season," Nuno said.

"He's a young talent that we want to develop and we want to make him better and want to make him grow because there's a lot of potential there.

Joe Rodon will miss the tie in Portugal due to a minor injury (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Joe Rodon will miss the tie in Portugal due to a minor injury (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

"I think it should be our idea in the club to use opportunities for young players to play. When we have talent we must believe in them and go for it."

But Nuno said centre-half Joe Rodon would miss Thursday's match after suffering a minor injury during the warm-down following the win over City.

"He had a small problem after the game in the training session we usually do in the stadium," the Portuguese said.

"Yesterday he tried but he is not 100 per cent fit so he is not going to play. It is a big disappointment because we want all of the players to get minutes."

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