Gary Lineker Discusses Harry Kane Ankle 'Weakness,' Tottenham Hotspur Future

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Gary Lineker fears Harry Kane has a "weakness" in his ankle that is the cause of his recurring injuries and hopes he'll stay at Spurs when a club like Real Madrid tries to land him at some point in the future.

Lineker spoke to Goal's Kevin Palmer about Spurs' star forward, saying he believes there's a weakness leading to his ankle injuries but it could be worse:

"It is always a worry when you get a recurring injury and there is clearly a little weakness in there.

"No player wants to have an injury that keeps cropping up, but ankles are not as bad as having a recurring calf problem or a hamstring issue, as they can be hard to overcome. You can roll your ankle and get away with it to an extent, but the more you do it, the more you worry the weakness will become a problem."

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He also discussed his future at the club, pointing at recurring rumours involving Real Madrid:

"You can see a club like Real Madrid making a move for Kane at some stage, but it is a question of timing whether he wants to be part of Tottenham going into the new stadium. I hope he stays, and I hope the manager [Mauricio] Pochettino stays too because we know he is in demand.

"I remember when Kane came through at Tottenham and had a good run, everyone said he was a one season wonder, it will never last. What he has done in the last few years is prove he is the real deal."

The 25-year-old hasn't played since January 13, when he suffered an injury to his ankle in the 1-0 loss against Manchester United. According to Transfermarkt, he also missed time in the past two seasons with multiple ankle problems.

Pochettino told reporters the England international is on track to return from his latest injury ahead of schedule:

When healthy, he's been productive as always. Kane has bagged 14 Premier League goals this season, putting him among the division's top scorers and on pace for a fourth consecutive campaign with 20-plus goals.

Last year was his best, as he scored 30, but he also started 35 Premier League matches; he's made 21 appearances this campaign.

While he has missed a significant amount of time with his ankle injury, it didn't stop him from attending the Super Bowl earlier in February, a sign his recovery is going well:

Lineker compared Kane to former Newcastle United and England striker Alan Shearer and praised his nose for goals while also stating his value is likely sky-high. As one of the world's most consistent scorers at his position, it's easy to see why Spurs are doing what they can to keep hold of him—and why there has been relatively little news in terms of offers from other clubs.

Los Blancos could use a natural finisher like Kane and never shy away from splashing the cash, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they did come knocking at some point in the future.

Kane will have a decision to make if or when it does happen, as he's been highly successful in his current surroundings. The Tottenham project is an ambitious one but has yet to yield any silverware, despite his best efforts.