Harry Kane wants tranfer window to shut before season starts

The petro billionaires of the football parish are just as likely to prise Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi from their Spanish habitats as they are Harry Kane from north London. As Jim White and the Sky boys speed towards transfer deadline apoplexy tonight, Kane will be tuned out of matters football, favouring instead that other great passion in his life, golf.

Harry Kane is confident of enjoying a bountiful season in front of goal, despite having endured another barren August. Picture: Getty.

Bless him, Kane didn’t even watch Match Of The Day on Sunday, gripped as he was by the last-round drama on Long Island, where Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth went head to head down the stretch in the first of the FedEx play-off tournaments. Kane’s money was on Spieth. He lost at the first extra hole. Not to worry, they go again in Boston this week.

The closest Kane comes to transfer speculation is the guessing game played by his mates wondering what he might be worth in this market. If he had his way he would have the window shut before the season starts.

“It’s been crazy, even from a player’s point of view,” he said. “With the Neymar situation, the money involved has just changed and players are going for a lot more than they may have done before that transfer. It is what it is, but it would be better for the window to close before the season, to help teams settle and also on an international basis, there are players here and rumours are going around, but that’s the way the game is going.

“I’ve not been in that situation, but if it was shut off before the start of the season, it would help. Everyone could focus on the season, without players having to worry about being sold or moving up north or down south.”

Kane doesn’t even have a buyout clause in his contract, so committed is he to Spurs. “I haven’t really thought about it. There is no reason to have one to be honest. Sometimes my mates may wonder what you are worth but that’s not something that’s on my mind.”

Kane comes into tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier in Malta after another dry August. Though Match Of The Day made that a talking point, it is not a concern for Kane, who points out that profligacy in the first couple of games is no impediment to claiming a golden boot.

“For some reason the ball doesn’t seem to go in in August,” he said. “Who knows why? I won’t be too worried about that. I’ve had two very good seasons without scoring in August before, so I just need to keep my head down and work hard because I know the goals will come.

“I’ve hit the post twice this season, so I am getting in the right positions. I am feeling good and sharp, so I’m not too worried. I’m going to have spells like this, but it just seems to be at this time of the year, no matter what shape I am in.

Fortunately for England, tomorrow’s Malta fixture falls on the first day of September. “I just have to stay mentally focused and do my job,” he added. “My job now is to try to score for England in these next two games and go from there. The Malta game is on 1 September, so we’ve all had a little joke about it. I should be good to go now.”

The departure of Wayne Rooney from the international arena reminds us how quickly the world turns. The manboy from Croxteth was not so long ago the great hope of the English game, now he is negotiating his 30s from whence he came, Goodison Park.

Kane is already 24, yet for all his promise and talent in front of goal, he has zip to show for it with club or country. Like Spurs, this England group has obvious potential, but, as Kane points out, we have said that before. “The biggest thing is playing tournament football. Ability wise I don’t think we’re far off. But it’s producing on that big stage. We talk about it a lot. It’s something that we’ve got to change.”