Gareth Southgate does not expect any transfer involving Harry Kane to progress during Euro 2020.
England captain Kane was named in Southgate's provisional 33-man Three Lions squad on Tuesday.
The Tottenham striker is expected to be the subject of intense speculation this close-season after widespread reports revealed his desire to leave the club.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are among the clubs said to be interested in Kane, who finished 2020-21 as the Premier League's top goalscorer.
Kane earned his third Golden Boot, becoming only the third player – after Thierry Henry (four) and Alan Shearer – to achieve such a feat.
The 27-year-old, the leading marksman at the 2018 World Cup, had 23 goals and 14 assists, making him only the second player in the Premier League era to top the charts in both categories (also Andy Cole in 1993-94).
Clubs keen to sign Kane may have to wait until after the European Championship finals, though, according to Southgate.
"I don't ever need to have a conversation with Harry about focus or professioanlism," Southgate said.
"He's got one goal with us and that's to win a European Championship. That's his goal at this time.
"What's going on at his club is between him and Spurs. He's made statements, but in many ways that's out of the way now. It's very unlikely that we have transfers while we're away.
"It's different in September, often on that [transfer] deadline.
"I'm realistic about those things, we're not going to stop phones ringing, we can't control conversations in private. But most moves are done after tournaments or in the week before.
"I would expect anything across the board with our players to be after the tournament."
Kane's 37 goal involvements were his most across a league season in his career, his 14 assists doubling a previous high of seven in 2016-17.
That improvement has come as a result of Kane dropping into a deeper role, a position Southgate has always believed him capable of playing.
"Harry has always had that capability as a player, always been able to play at nine or 10," the manager said.
"It's clearly more pronounced this year in terms of the numbers, with certain games like at Southampton where he created four for Son [Heung-min]. There are clear patterns that have created goals for them.
"He's always done that for us. For a centre-forward with such an outstanding goalscoring record, he's got a fantastic range of passing as well."
Andrea Radrizzani agrees to sell controlling Leeds stake to 49ers Enterprises
Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani has agreed a deal to sell his controlling stake in the club to co-owners 49ers Enterprises.
As a result the American investment group, owner of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers and a minority shareholder in Leeds since 2018, will take full ownership.
“Leeds United can confirm an agreement has been reached between Aser Ventures and 49ers Enterprises for the purchase of the club,” said a statement.
“Both parties continue to work through the details, and further updates will be provided soon.
“All of our focus remains on a quick return to the Premier League.”
49ers Enterprises increased its stake in Leeds to 44 per cent in 2021 with the option of buying Radrizzani’s remaining 56 per cent before January 2024.
The Americans had been keen to push through a full takeover this summer, but that agreement, which had valued Leeds at around £400million, was contingent on the club remaining in the Premier League.
Leeds’ relegation last month forced both parties back into intense negotiations and a valuation of close to £170m has been agreed.
The deal marks the end of Radrizzani’s six-year ownership of Leeds. He completed a full takeover from fellow Italian Massimo Cellino in 2017 and initially proved hugely popular.
Radrizzani bought back Elland Road stadium, which had been in private ownership since 2004, and brought in fresh investment when 49ers Enterprises purchased its first 10 per cent stake in 2018.
The appointment of Marcelo Bielsa soon after proved a masterstroke as Leeds won promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.
49ers Enterprises has steadily increased its stake, while Radrizzani’s relationship with the Leeds fanbase began to sour when Bielsa was sacked in February 2022.
Leeds escaped relegation on the final day of the 2021-22 season under Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch and Radrizzani promised that the club would not be involved in another survival fight.
But results this past season failed to improve and after Marsch was sacked in February, his replacement Javi Gracia and then Sam Allardyce, appointed with four games remaining, failed to halt the slide.
When relegation was confirmed with a final-day defeat to Tottenham, Radrizzani was absent from Elland Road, opting instead to remain in Italy to finalise his takeover of Sampdoria.
He later admitted Leeds’ board had made mistakes and apologised for the club’s relegation in a personal statement posted on social media.
But after it emerged he had offered to use Elland Road as collateral when securing a £26m bank loan to buy Sampdoria – one of his companies and not Leeds owned the stadium – his legacy was further tainted.
FA and PFA study finds increased dementia risk in ex-footballers
Former professional footballers are almost three and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population, according to a study commissioned by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association.
First findings of the FOCUS study, conducted by the University of Nottingham, support previous research that former footballers may be at higher risk of neurocognitive disease.
The new report states that 2.8 per cent of retired professional footballers in their study reported medically diagnosed dementia and other neurodegenerative disease compared to 0.9 percent of controls.
This means former pros in the study were found to be 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases compared to the control group.
The study also showed retired footballers in the study were twice as likely to fall below established thresholds in some dementia testing than the general population.
Dr Charlotte Cowie, the FA’s head of medicine, told the governing body’s website: “The FA and the PFA jointly commissioned the FOCUS study in order to gain additional insight into the findings of the FIELD study, and to further examine any potential link between neurodegenerative disorders in former professional footballers.
“The FOCUS study worked with an established group of former professional footballers that were participating in research and was able to review their brain health, and it supports the previous findings in the FIELD study which suggest an increased risk for neurodegenerative disease in former professional footballers than in the general population.
“This is an extremely complex area of our game, but we are committed to working collectively with our stakeholders to help grow our knowledge in this area through further medical and expert analysis.”
The initial findings of the FOCUS study will be shared with both FIFA and UEFA, and the FA has reiterated its support for further research from across the wider game to help build a better understanding of players’ brain health and well-being.
“This is an important new study which supports previous evidence suggesting that footballers are at greater risk of dementia and poorer cognitive functioning in later life,” said the PFA’s head of brain health Dr Adam White.
“Studies such as this… ensure that targeted and evidence-led action can be identified and taken to support and protect players at all stages of their career.
“Continued investment in this type of research will remain absolutely vital.”
An FA statement read: “The FA has led the way in taking steps to help reduce potential risk factors within the game (including) establishing industry-leading concussion guidelines, introducing the world’s most comprehensive heading guidance at every level of the professional and amateur game in England, and implementing a new trial to remove deliberate heading in football matches across under-12 level and below.
“Further findings from the FOCUS study will be published in due course.”
Phil Neville joins Canada coaching staff
Phil Neville has joined the coaching staff of the Canada national team just days after leaving his role with Inter Miami.
The 46-year-old will join up as part of John Herdman’s technical team alongside Richard Shaw, and the two new additions will be part of Canada’s plans for their CONCACAF Nations League finals in Las Vegas.
Neville was relieved of his duties with Inter Miami last week with the club sitting rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer, just days before Lionel Messi was announced as their new marquee signing.
The former England Women boss will take a familiar role with another national team after leading the Lionesses to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2019 SheBelieves Cup success.
Canada reached just their second ever World Cup in 2022 and first since 1986 but exited the group stage, and now have the opportunity for their first trophy since 2000 when they play Panama in the semi-finals of the Nations League where the winners face the United States or Mexico for the trophy.
Shaw will take up a similar position to Neville and his first as part of any national team having previously been involved at Watford, Millwall and Crystal Palace.
Following the announcement, Canada boss Herman told their website: “Both Phil and Richard bring with them winning experience at the highest levels and have worked with some of the Premier League’s top managers during their careers.
“They’ll work as positional and unit coaches with the aim of helping us to win our first trophy in over two decades.”
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