- Title: Mourinho fears bad news on Kane injury, unsure of Eriksen's future
- Date: 3rd January 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JANUARY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER JOSE MOURINHO PRIOR TO HIS NEWS CONFERENCE BEGINNING WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ON HARRY KANE'S INJURY, SAYING: "I don't know yet, I think 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 on good news. That's my feeling. What the player felt, Harry Kane leaving a match they way he did it. He didn't think twice, it didn't took (take) him two seconds to realise the severity of the situation. Some opinions from the medical department before the results of the tests, I don't think that we are going to have good news." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ON HARRY KANE, SAYING: "I think we are going to lose him (Harry Kane) for some period and because I am totally convinced of that, I can anticipate that. I don't want to be here with you crying every press conference. Now everybody knows who he is, what he is, what he means for the team, what he means for the fans for the club. His quality, the routines that the team has playing with him. Every minute of every game that he doesn't play we miss him. So, the matches that he's not going to play with us we are going to miss him. But, I don't want to be crying here all the time. I want to focus now on the players that are available." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ON CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN'S FUTURE, SAYING: "I don't know, and I'm being honest with you. I don't know. You know the situation, in this moment he can agree with any club for the end of the season. That's one option. Another option is a club and himself want to do a deal in January, but in that situation our club is in control. We have obviously the control of the situation and another possibility is he stays. So, in this moment he is here. In this moment he's our player, so I can say Harry Kane and (Tanguy) Ndombele (are) not at Middlesbrough. I can say Christian (Eriksen) (will be) at Middlesbrough." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ON PAULO DYBALA, SAYING: "I cannot tell you anything about (Paulo) Dybala. I just can't. If something happened or was to happen or why didn't happen, I don't know. That was pre-season."
- Embargoed: 17th January 2020 15:32
- Keywords: Christian Eriksen FA Cup Harry Kane Jose Mourinho Middlesbrough Paulo Dybala Spurs Tottenham
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001BUMDLJ3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday (January 3) that he fears bad news about the hamstring injury that forced striker Harry Kane to hobble off during his side's 1-0 defeat by Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday (January 1).
Kane, scorer of 27 goals for Spurs and England this season, pulled up late in the second half after having a goal disallowed and left the ground on crutches and will definitely miss Tottenham's FA Cup third-round clash at Middlesbrough on Sunday (January 5).
Kane has been injury-free this season but has had several layoffs in the last few seasons because of ankle problems.
Hamstring injuries vary in their severity but typically a tear could result in around month on the sidelines and would be a major blow to Tottenham, who are six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the league after mediocre results at Christmas.
Meanwhile, Mourinho said he had no idea if influential midfielder Christian Eriksen would be staying or going as reports continue to link the Dane with a move away.
The Spurs manager also remained coy on the club's interest in Juventus star Paulo Dybala, who was heavily linked with a transfer to North London during pre-season.
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