Kane returning to Tottenham training Saturday 'as planned'
Harry Kane set the record straight Friday regarding his absence from Tottenham Hotspur's preseason training this week.
The English striker said in a statement that he'll return to training on Saturday "as planned," and he insisted that he has not refused to train with the club amid speculation over a departure from Spurs this summer.
"It's almost 10 years since I made my Spurs debut. For every one of those years, you - the fans - have shown me total support and love," he wrote.
"That's why it hurts to read some of the comments that have been made this week, questioning my professionalism.
"While I won't go into the specifics of the situation, I want to clarify that I would never, and have never, refused to train. I will be returning to the club tomorrow (Saturday), as planned.
"I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the relationship I have with the fans who have given me such unwavering support during my time with the club. This has always been the case as it is today."
Tottenham apparently expected Kane to arrive Monday for preseason tests, but Kane was absent as he continued his holiday in the Bahamas and the United States.
The continued absence reportedly ruled Kane out of Tottenham's first Premier League match of the season against Manchester City on Aug. 15 due to COVID-19 rules pertaining to re-entry into the United Kingdom from the U.S.
The 28-year-old has been heavily linked with a lucrative transfer to Manchester City, with reports suggesting that he and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy have a gentleman's agreement to allow his departure this summer.
Manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged City's interest in Kane, but said that completing a transfer is impossible if Spurs are reluctant to talk.
“He is a player for Tottenham Hotspur and if Tottenham don't want to negotiate, it is finished,” Guardiola said Friday, according to The Guardian.
Spurs reportedly rejected an offer worth £100 million from the reigning Premier League champions.