José Mourinho says Spurs will not take risks with Harry Kane fitness
José Mourinho has said Tottenham will not take risks with Harry Kane’s recovery from a hamstring injury, even though the striker is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation and is expected to play before the end of the season.
Kane has made speedy recoveries from injuries in the past and although the England captain started his on-field rehabilitation this week, Mourinho does not want to rush him back. The Spurs manager, who suggested that Son Heung-min could also ease his team’s crisis in attack by making a swifter return than expected from a fractured arm, said Kane must be realistic after surgery.
Related: Chelsea prescribe rest for Tammy Abraham's troublesome ankle
“That is what we are going to be,” Mourinho said. “Tottenham doesn’t finish, doesn’t end in May. There is going to be Tottenham for many, many years so we would never risk Harry in a difficult situation, no chance. He is going to be back when he is ready to be back.”
Mourinho has previously suggested that Kane could be out until the last two Premier League matches and even raised the prospect of him missing Euro 2020. However, Kane is progressing well and Mourinho now thinks the 26-year-old has a chance of a mid-April return.
“It gives me a hope of, instead of [Kane playing] one or two matches, three, four or five,” Mourinho said. “The feelings are good. Every time he has a problem, he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t accept protocols, a date, a fixture. He always tries to go ahead. Sometimes the players break protocol and come [back] earlier than expected. He’s obviously a great professional and a fighter.”
Kane will not take any shortcuts in his recovery and Mourinho said the situation is different to when the forward recovered from an ankle injury to start when Spurs lost to Liverpool in the Champions League final last season.
“I would play only with one leg if I was a player and I was playing in a Champions League final,” Mourinho said. “With crutches. How can you stop a player playing in a Champions League final? There are some matches where protocols mean nothing. I think it isn’t the case to blame Harry or medical departments.”
Spurs lack cover for Kane and their problems were exacerbated when Son injured his right arm during the victory over Aston Villa two weeks ago.
Son is in Seoul and will have to self-isolate for a fortnight after he returns to England this weekend because of government protocols regarding the coronavirus. However the South Korean, who had an operation this week, could play with a cast before the season is over. “We’ll try all the possibilities to have him back for some matches,” Mourinho said. “I cannot imagine when. But there’s a good possibility that before the end of the season, we have Harry and Sonny playing together.”
