Harry Kane: Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo says striker available to face Manchester City
Harry Kane returned to Tottenham's training ground on Saturday; he will quarantine and train alone until Thursday; Spurs begin their Premier League campaign against Man City on Sunday, live on Sky Sports
Monday 9 August 2021 19:57, UK
Tottenham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo says striker Harry Kane will be available to face Manchester City in Sunday's Premier League season opener.
Kane, 28, who wants to leave Spurs this summer, returned to Hotspur Way on Saturday amid speculation over his future at Tottenham and is quarantining at the club's training ground hotel, The Lodge, until Thursday.
Nuno confirmed that he will hold "socially distanced" talks later on Monday with Kane, who has denied that he refused to turn up to training last week, insisting his Saturday return was "planned".
City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed his interest in Kane, heightening the tension around the Premier League champions' opening weekend visit to Spurs.
Asked about Kane's availability for the match, Nuno told Sky Sports News: "All the players in the squad that work on a daily basis will be options for us, then it's up to us to decide."
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Nuno refused to criticise Kane over the timing of his return to training, preferring to focus on trying to "solve" the situation.
"First of all we have to speak," Nuno said. "This is going to happen today, and after that we hope to solve all the situations.
"It's not about that (Kane's late return), it's about what we have to do to solve the situation - this is important.
"We have to solve it together, everybody involved has to solve it together - speaking, having a nice conversation and putting our opinions, but everybody together."
Kane, who has scored 166 goals in 245 appearances for Tottenham, signed a six-year contract with Spurs in 2018, but the club's failure to win and regularly compete for major trophies has led him to seek an exit.
Is now the right time for Spurs to sell Kane?
Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol speaking on The Transfer Show: "Selling Kane will make Spurs weaker no matter how much money they get for him.
"If I was Daniel Levy, I would keep him for three years until his contract runs out and then he can leave Spurs on a free because over the next three years, I would say he would probably score 100 goals for Spurs.
"If they sell him, who are they going to get who is going to score those goals?"
Guardiola: Man City want Kane
Manchester City signed Jack Grealish for a British record £100m last week, and they maintain an interest in Kane, having made an opening offer of the same amount at the end of June, which was rejected.
On Friday, City boss Pep Guardiola said it is up to Tottenham, who do not want to sell their star player, to negotiate with them over Kane.
"He (Kane) is a player for Tottenham Hotspur and if Tottenham don't want to negotiate, it is finished," said Guardiola.
"I think Man City and many clubs in the world want to try to sign him, we are not an exception, but it depends on Tottenham.
"It is different to Jack. He had the release [clause] and Jack is different. Harry is exceptional and we are interested in him but if Tottenham don't want to negotiate, nothing more to say."
Kane, valued at upwards of £120m, reiterated his desire to leave earlier this summer in search of major trophies and believes he has a gentleman's agreement with chairman Daniel Levy to depart Spurs in this transfer window.
In May, Levy said that he will act in the interests of the club concerning Kane's future and hinted a deal could be difficult to do for the forward who has three years remaining on his current contract.
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