Today’s back pages: Harry pain for Tottenham after Kane KO

Kane crocked

It’s not been the best of weeks to be called Harry.

What with all the headlines about the Duke of Sussex, and also the injury to Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, now comes news that Harry Kane will be sidelined until April with a hamstring injury he sustained against Southampton.

Most of the papers lead with the story this morning. “Harry pain” is the back page headline in the Daily Mirror while the Daily Star goes for “Kane KO”.

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In a statement Spurs confirmed that the 26-year-old England captain will need to have surgery.

The Premier League club said: “Following ongoing assessment by our medical staff over the past week, we can confirm that Harry Kane will undergo surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his left hamstring.”

According to the Star, the news has “rocked” Tottenham and forced the club to reassess its transfer plans for the month.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is expected to bring in a replacement and according to the Star, AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek or Fulham marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic are the favourites.

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Button it, Buttler

The Times reports that England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has been fined 15% of his match fee from the second Test after being caught badmouthing South Africa’s Vernon Philander.

Although the Times is too demure to repeat what Buttler said, the Daily Mail steps in to the breach, informing its readers that he called Philander a “f***ing knobhead”.

The comments were picked up by a stump microphone and Buttler has paid the price for his potty mouth.

Writing in the Times, Michael Atherton doesn’t excuse Buttler but he does say tempers understandably get frayed out in the middle and the former England captain asks whether the stump microphones “should be turned down”.

Red Devils advocate

The plight of Manchester United defender Ashley Young makes the back pages with the Daily Mirror saying that he is “unhappy” at having his move to Inter Milan delayed until the summer.

It’s reported that Young, 34, has “already agreed to join” the Italian outfit, and had hoped to make the move this month. But it seems that the Red Devils have blocked his request and he must see out the remaining six months of his contract.

For the Independent, the fact that Young wants to quit Old Trafford is a sign of “how far United have fallen”.

Today’s newspaper back pages

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