This archive report was first published on 9 January 2020.
Harry Kane, the England captain, will be out of action until April after Tottenham announced that he needs surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his left hamstring.
The injury occurred on New Year's Day during Tottenham's Premier League defeat at Southampton, where Kane limped away from St Mary's on crutches.
According to a Tottenham statement, Kane will undergo surgery, and the decision to do so is not expected to impact the timeframe for his return to training, which is expected in April.
With 27 goals in 31 appearances for club and country this season, Kane's loss is a significant setback for Tottenham, who had initially hoped he would return by late February.
Tottenham are struggling under Jose Mourinho, having won only one of their last five games in all competitions, and sit sixth in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
They face a daunting visit from runaway leaders Liverpool this weekend and will be without Kane for key fixtures, including Champions League last-16 ties against RB Leipzig and domestic games against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
It is the latest fitness problem to affect Kane, who has had a series of ankle problems in recent seasons.
Jose Mourinho acknowledged the impact of Kane's absence, saying, "Everybody knows who he is, what he is, what he means for the team, the fans, the club."
With Kane out, Mourinho is likely to try to land a striker in the January transfer window, and Tottenham have already been linked with AC Milan forward Krzysztof Piatek and Borussia Dortmund's Paco Alcacer.
