Mark Lawrenson has suggested that Antonio Conte is trying to signal to Harry Kane that he is a central part of his project by lavishing praise on the striker publicly.
After a poor start to the season, Kane’s form has turned around since Conte arrived at Spurs. The striker has scored 22 goals in all competitions in addition to registering nine assists for the Lilywhites so far this campaign (Transfermarkt).
The Tottenham head coach has not been shy of praising the England captain publicly, even insisting recently that the striker is a unique talent, given his ability to play as both a number nine and as a number ten (Football.London).
There continues to be speculation linking Kane with a move away from Spurs this summer, with reports suggesting that Manchester United are prioritising a move for the 28-year-old this summer (The Athletic).
However, Lawrenson believes that Conte has been smart with his handling of Tottenham’s talisman.
The pundit told Off the Ball: “The way he has been with Harry Kane has been very, very clever.
“Every time he talks about him, he can’t talk enough about him. This fella is brilliant. He’s such a fantastic player. He is this and that. And all those kinds of things.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I think Conte is just being honest in his assessment of Kane rather than trying to butter the striker up as Lawrenson suggests. It is also evident that the pair’s admiration for each other is mutual, and it is for that reason that I expect Kane to stay at Spurs and see what the Italian can accomplish in his first full season in charge of the club.