Tottenham interim manager Ryan Mason has dismissed the idea that Harry Kane waving to fans was a farewell gesture after the England captain scored in the last home game of the season against Brentford on Saturday.
It was fitting that, on the day many expect to be Kane's final home match for Spurs ahead of a potential summer move away from his boyhood club, the 29-year-old produced another moment of magic but was left disappointed by full time. A double from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa wrapped up the win for the away side, leaving Spurs with the chance of finishing as low as ninth.
Kane's 28th goal of the season was one of his best, curling in a brilliant effort from outside the box after a free-kick was layed off for him. Only Erling Haaland has scored more this season and with one game left to play it is his second best scoring season of his career - one against West Ham would make it joint second, two next week would equal the 30 goal 2017/18 season and a hat-trick would make it a personal best.
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Despite this, Tottenham are set to finish at least 10 points worse off compared to last year and could end up with fewer goals as well. It hasn't been for the want of trying for Kane, who has won Spurs a remarkable 11 games this season with his goals. No player has more.
It all leads to a potentially career-defining summer for Kane. He has been heavily linked with a move away with Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich amongst the interested clubs. All three teams are in need of a new striker and are forming the queue for Victor Osimhen, too.
Kane will enter the final 12-months of his contract at the same time with no progress made towards renewing his current deal. It comes with Spurs also not in a position yet to name their name manager for the 2023/24 campaign. Therefore, when Kane waved to the few fans that had remained behind at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, many saw it as a deeper gesture than a simple thanks.
Mason, who isn't out of the running for the head coach role himself, addressed this, saying: "He waves at the crowd every season. I saw him waving two years ago and you guys [reporters] were convinced he was leaving. He was just thanking the fans as he does every season."
Kane is already the top-scorer in Tottenham and England history and is within 60 goals of breaking the Premier League record, too. It has long been felt that this ambition would keep him in England and the desire of United and Chelsea - now set to be coached by Mauricio Pochettino, the man who handed Kane his breakthrough - to sign him creates uncertainty once more.
It was Manchester City pushing for his signature in the summer of 2021 but this time, with Tottenham faltering on and off the pitch, Kane's every move is being scrutinised. He joined his teammates in a lap of the pitch after the defeat to Brentford, emerging to the pitch shortly after the end of season awards on the field, which went down badly with fans, predictably.
Protests were also made towards Daniel Levy, meanwhile the message from supporters to Kane remains the same. 'We want you to stay.'
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