Tottenham have confirmed Harry Kane suffered a hamstring tear during the New Year’s Day defeat against Southampton.
The England skipper was forced off after 75 minutes at St Mary’s as Jose Mourinho’s side dropped points against a side battling against relegation for the second time in the space of three days.
A club statement read: ‘Following assessment today (Friday), we can confirm that Harry Kane suffered a tear in his left hamstring during our New Year’s Day fixture against Southampton.
‘Our medical staff will continue to review the injury with treatment ongoing.’
Spurs were unable to confirm the extent of the injury but Mourinho admitted the initial signs suggested he would be forced to cope without his talisman for a significant period of time.
‘I don’t know yet, maybe later today we have news but if you ask me just my feeling – good news or bad news – I am more on bad news than good news, that’s my feeling,’ said Mourinho ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup third round tie against Middlesbrough.
‘What the player felt, Harry Kane leaving a match, the way he did it, he didn’t think twice, it didn’t take him two seconds to realise the severity of the situation, some opinions from the medical department before the test results.
‘I don’t think we’re going to have good news. But the reason we’re here is because of the beautiful FA Cup and in relation to that we can say that no Middlesbrough for Harry Kane.’
Heung-Min Son deputised for Kane last season when the 26-year-old missed nine matches at the end of last season before he was parachuted back into the team for the Champions League final against Liverpool.
Head up. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. pic.twitter.com/tqK526b3Ow
— Harry Kane (@HKane) January 3, 2020
Son served the final match of his three-game ban following his recent red card against Chelsea and is back in contention, but Mourinho could hand only a second ever start to Troy Parrott, instead.
The 17-year-old made his Premier League debut as an 85th minute substitute during last month’s win over Burnley and is extremely highly rated by the Tottenham coaching staff.
Regardless of Kane’s injury, however, Mourinho insisted he had no intention of sending the Republic of Ireland international out on loan this month, preferring the teenager to continue his development under his own watchful eye.
‘He’s 17 years old. I don’t think at the age of 17 it’s good for you to go on loan to a Championship club or to go abroad to another country,’ said Mourinho.
‘My feeling is one thing is when you are 20 if you need that step when you are 19/20, another thing is when you are 17. When you are 17 you are a baby. 17 you just have to be in your father club where you feel at home, where you are at home, where you train and develop with the first team.
‘Where some minutes will arrive like it happened against Burnley, and step by step but not in a situation where we see Harry Kane is injured and Parrott is the man to resolve our problems.’
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