Kane transfer during Euros ´very unlikely´, says Southgate

Gareth Southgate does not expect any transfer involving Harry Kane to progress during Euro 2020.

England captain Kane was named in Southgate’s provisional 33-man Three Lions squad on Tuesday.

The Tottenham striker is expected to be the subject of intense speculation this close-season after widespread reports revealed his desire to leave the club.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are among the clubs said to be interested in Kane, who finished 2020-21 as the Premier League’s top goalscorer.

Kane earned his third Golden Boot, becoming only the third player – after Thierry Henry (four) and Alan Shearer – to achieve such a feat.

The 27-year-old, the leading marksman at the 2018 World Cup, had 23 goals and 14 assists, making him only the second player in the Premier League era to top the charts in both categories (also Andy Cole in 1993-94).

Clubs keen to sign Kane may have to wait until after the European Championship finals, though, according to Southgate.

“I don’t ever need to have a conversation with Harry about focus or professioanlism,” Southgate said.

“He’s got one goal with us and that’s to win a European Championship. That’s his goal at this time.

Delighted to win these awards! Not possible without the team and staff throughout the season. pic.twitter.com/12kfT4LOfL

— Harry Kane (@HKane) May 23, 2021

“What’s going on at his club is between him and Spurs. He’s made statements, but in many ways that’s out of the way now. It’s very unlikely that we have transfers while we’re away.

“It’s different in September, often on that [transfer] deadline.

“I’m realistic about those things, we’re not going to stop phones ringing, we can’t control conversations in private. But most moves are done after tournaments or in the week before.

“I would expect anything across the board with our players to be after the tournament.”

Kane’s 37 goal involvements were his most across a league season in his career, his 14 assists doubling a previous high of seven in 2016-17.

That improvement has come as a result of Kane dropping into a deeper role, a position Southgate has always believed him capable of playing.

“Harry has always had that capability as a player, always been able to play at nine or 10,” the manager said.

“It’s clearly more pronounced this year in terms of the numbers, with certain games like at Southampton where he created four for Son [Heung-min]. There are clear patterns that have created goals for them.

“He’s always done that for us. For a centre-forward with such an outstanding goalscoring record, he’s got a fantastic range of passing as well.”