Mauricio Pochettino starts war of words after claiming Alvaro Morata REJECTED Spurs because he knew Harry Kane was better
Spanish striker signed for rivals Chelsea in a £65million deal this summer
MAURICIO POCHETTINO said Chelsea new boy Alvaro Morata bottled a move to White Hart Lane — because he knew Harry Kane is a better striker.
Pochettino reckons the Blues’ new £65million man was desperate to join Spurs last summer but did not fancy competing with the England hotshot.
Chelsea are banking on the Spanish striker to replace Diego Costa and fire them to another title.
But Poch said: “Morata talked about me in the media and said, ‘Mauricio called me.’ That was from the beginning, two years ago or more.
“He said to me, ‘Why do you want me if you have Harry Kane?’
“You know, if you go to try to sign a striker, they will say, ‘Eh gaffer, you want me for what?
“‘To be on the bench? Because it’s Harry Kane, I cannot compete with Harry Kane or Hugo Lloris or different players.’”
The revelation further cranks up the bad blood between Pochettino and Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte ahead of the new season.
They have already been sniping at each other during pre- season with the White Hart Lane boss seething after the Italian questioned his ambition while making public declarations of his love for Kane.
Poch is not a big fan of the Chelsea chief and aims to do everything he can to rip the Premier League crown from his grasp.
Spurs are the only top-flight team yet to make a signing but the Argentine coach will not break the bank for the sake of it.
Ahead of their final pre-season fixture against Juventus at Wembley on Saturday, he said: “It’s so difficult to convince good players to come and then put them on the bench.
“Then the problems start. You know better than me; Kane doesn’t play, he’s frustrated, disappointed and his motivation drops.
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“Then it is better to play with younger players coming through the academy so you can improve them, teach them so maybe one day they can become a very good player and then their motivation is always higher.
“That is important, too. If you are a player at Manchester United and you don’t perform, you are out. But at Tottenham, we are a completely different project.
“Here it is to play like a team, together, and we need all the players motivated — the players that play a lot and the ones who will not play.
“That balance is difficult and that is why we are different, too.”
- Tottenham take on Juventus at Wembley in their final pre-season fixture on Saturday 5 August. Adult / Junior tickets from £24 / £14 at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/spursjuve