Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is hoping Harry Kane is protected in the forthcoming international break while also stating Son Heung-min cannot play for South Korea if he does not feature for his club first.
Kane has played 38 times already for Spurs in a congested season and with a worrying injury history there are legitimate concerns about his fitness going into the business end of the campaign.
Son has been named in South Korea’s squad for a friendly in Japan despite limping off during Sunday’s north London derby defeat to Arsenal with a hamstring injury.
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England play San Marino, Albania and Poland in World Cup qualifiers in next week’s international break and Mourinho is keen for his star man not to feature in all three.
“I have no control, if I could choose I would love them all to go because I love my players to be involved in national teams,” Mourinho said before confirming Kane would start Spurs’ Europa League last-16 second-leg tie with Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday.
“I think it’s a question of pride for them and a plus for us as a club so we like the players to go.
“But of course if we could choose we wouldn’t like the players to play three matches, but it’s not in our hands, it’s in the hands of their national team managers.
“There is nothing we can say. If one of you ask me is he going to play tomorrow or is he going to rest, I answer already that he’s going to play. The game is open, it’s an important game for us so he plays tomorrow.”
Mourinho and Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate exchanged comments earlier this season around Kane’s involvement in England games, but the Portuguese is leaving it to his counterpart this time.
“I cannot do Gareth’s work, the same way Gareth is not trying to do my work,” he said. “He doesn’t make any comments about my selection, he doesn’t give any public opinion about who I should play or rest or give more minutes to these English players.
“He doesn’t make any comment so I also don’t feel comfortable in doing that. If in the summer, I do some little funny media work, then I’ll feel some freedom to speak about others’ jobs.
“But in this moment I don’t feel comfortable, he does what he wants, what’s best for the team.
“He has a good relation with Harry, so that means good communication and, without me in the middle, I hope that in between them they can find some compromise to protect the player a little bit.”
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