Alvaro Morata didn't want to join Tottenham because of Harry Kane, according to Mauricio Pochettino

The Tottenham manager says Morata was not prepared to be Kane’s back-up and went back to Real Madrid before moving to Stamford Bridge this summer.

But Pochettino’s revelation keeps his battle with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte simmering ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The Italian angered the Spurs manager last week for talking about his admiration for Kane before questioning the Argentinian’s ambition.

Pochettino said: “Morata talked about myself, in the media he 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 can’t compete with Harry Kane or Hugo Lloris or different players.'”