Jan Vertonghen has said he would not swap Harry Kane for any other player in the world on current form, as the prolific Tottenham striker prepares to return to first-team action.
Kane is set to return from a minor hamstring injury to feature in Wednesday evening’s game against Real Madrid, providing a timely boost for a side coming off the back of two consecutive defeats against West Ham and Manchester United.
He trained with the squad on Monday and Tuesday, offering an AOK-sign to photographers who enquired as to whether he would be fit for the Wembley showdown.
And while his manager Mauricio Pochettino was a little more circumspect, refusing to guarantee that Kane would start, the general feeling is that Kane has sufficiently recovered from the niggle sustained against Liverpool nine days ago to make his re-entrance.
“We are very confident,” Pochettino said. “He is on the list. We have one day more to assess him, but I think it can be possible for him to be available to play tomorrow. He is now training with the group and was good, at the same level of the team.
“But I don’t want to say 100 per cent sure, because we have one day more. Today and yesterday was good with the training, and now it’s with the medical staff and everyone to try to take the right decision.”
Asked to compare Kane with Cristiano Ronaldo, who Tottenham will face for the second time in two weeks, Vertonghen said: “They are both unbelievable players. Ronaldo has his qualities and Harry has his. We have to show respect to Ronaldo for what he has won, his level and how he is still doing it.
“Harry, for me, is one of the best No9s in Europe. Maybe the best. He shows that every week and I wouldn’t swap Harry for any player at the moment. Having him is always a major boost.
“Definitely we can beat [Real Madrid]. That is our intention, with or without Harry Kane.”
(The Independent)
