Interim Tottenham boss Ryan Mason says he is unaware of star striker Harry Kane telling the club he wants to leave this summer.
Kane’s future has been thrown into doubt after he reportedly told Spurs he wants to be sold, having grown frustrated at a lack of progress at the north London club.
Spurs hold the cards as he has three years left on his contract and they will demand a fee believed to be in excess of £150million so a transfer saga looks like playing out over the summer.
Mason is in temporary charge until the end of the season and says he does not know Kane’s intentions ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Aston Villa where 10,000 fans will be inside the stadium.
Asked directly to confirm whether Kane had left the club, Mason said: “No, not that I’m aware of. Like I say, all this speculation I’m not sure.
“All of my conversations I’ve had with H have been about the game the other day and also preparing for the game tomorrow. So no, I don’t know.
“He feels fine. Looking forward to tomorrow. He’s going to be 100 per cent committed. I’m looking forward to seeing him play, in our beautiful stadium, in front of our fans. So we’re excited about tomorrow.
“I speak to Harry pretty much every day. Before I got this job, I spoke to Harry pretty much every day. He’s excited, along with me, about tomorrow.
“Our only discussions have been about the game tomorrow, about the game at the weekend against Wolves. He’s excited. We’re all excited.
“We want to play in front of our fans. It’s a home game in the Premier League, and we know the importance of it. We’re looking forward to tomorrow.
“He starts tomorrow. Because he’s our best striker, and one of the best strikers in the world. I’ve said all along, and I’ve been pretty consistent in my messages to you guys, whether that’s about my future, whether that’s about management, managers for next season, the facts are that I’m here for the next two games.
“And that’s my main focus, on putting a team out and preparing a football team, to win those games of football. And hopefully tomorrow we can do that, with Harry at the front, and hopefully has an influence on the game.”
Mason has had a tough induction to life as a Premier League manager, flung in front of the cameras to explain his club’s decision to join the European Super League on his first day in the job, endlessly answering speculation around who the next boss will be and now having to field questions on the possible exit of the star player.
The 29-year-old has kept the same message throughout, though, and that has not changed now.
“I don’t think anything is awkward,” he said. “There’s always speculation around the best players. There’s been speculation in the last three or four weeks about the new manager coming in, all these question marks.
“Which is normal when you’re at a big club, that’s normal. Our focus – and I’ve said it all along – is on the next game.
“My mind hasn’t deviated from that, I’m sure Harry’s hasn’t. I’m sure in the rest of the group, every individual, their minds haven’t deviated from that. We’ve got to try to get the three points.”
Spurs could be without Gareth Bale for the Villa game as he is a doubt while Serge Aurier has returned to training after a groin problem.
Mason added: “Gareth was probably the best I have seen him all season at the weekend. He was sharp, he was running at players, he has that confidence back of playing in repetitive games and he feels confident in his body.
“He also knows his body. He is a question mark for tomorrow. We are not sure whether or not he is going to be ready. It is down to the player, he is experienced enough. We’ll see.”
