Harry Kane has taken drastic action in his attempt to force through a move to Manchester City by refusing to report for the start of pre-season training with Tottenham and risking a heavy fine.

Spurs are in the dark over when Kane will return, with chairman Daniel Levy keen to hold talks with the striker about his future.

The situation could get even uglier, with Kane, who earns around €234,000 a week, expected to be fined for his no-show and risking an even larger fine if he stays away while he waits for a City offer. City have already bid £100 million for Kane’s England team-mate Jack Grealish, who reported for training with Aston Villa and posed for photographs with fans on the day Kane effectively went on strike. Spurs refused to comment, but it is understood the club are disappointed by Kane’s actions and now consider it to be an internal matter.

Kane’s camp also declined to comment on his decision to miss Covid-19 testing and what should have been his return for pre-season yesterday, following a holiday after the European Championship. But it is understood he still believes he has a gentlemen’s agreement with Levy that he can leave this year after first requesting to go 12 months ago.

Levy talked Kane into staying last year and there is some dispute of the nature of the supposed gentlemen’s agreement, with sources claiming Spurs have always been clear that they do not want to sell their star player to a Premier League rival.

Kane clearly thinks differently and may argue that, having tried to leave amicably last term, he has no other option than to try to force the issue with Levy showing no sign of wanting to negotiate. It now seems certain that Kane will miss the start of Spurs’ season, starting against City on August 15.

New head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had hoped to speak to Kane about his future on the player’s return from holiday, but his pre-season plans are now in danger of being badly disrupted.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]