Pep Guardiola insists the ball is in Tottenham's court with regards to Manchester City's potential move for Harry Kane.
City's interest in Kane is clear, with the Premier League champions determined to sign the England captain – they had an offer understood to be in the region of £100million turned down during the European Championships.
Kane, too, is eager to make the switch from north London to Manchester, with Spurs' talisman having failed to report to pre-season training earlier this week in an apparent attempt to force through a move.
Reports suggest Tottenham will refuse to do business, however, insisting their talisman is not to sale to a Premier League competitor.
City have already smashed the British transfer record to sign Jack Grealish, whose £100m move from Aston Villa was confirmed on Thursday, but Guardiola says Tottenham will ultimately make the decision on Kane's future.
"He's a player for Tottenham Hotspur. If Tottenham don't want to negotiate, it's finished," Guardiola, who also dismissed any possibility of a move for free agent Lionel Messi, told a news conference ahead of the Community Shield clash with FA Cup holders Leicester City.
"If they are open to negotiating, I think not just Man City but many clubs in the world want to try to sign him – we are not an exception – but it depends on Tottenham.
"It's different from Jack. Jack had a release clause. Harry Kane is an exceptional, extraordinary striker, no doubts about that. Of course we are interested, but he is a Tottenham player and if they don't want to negotiate there is nothing more to say. If they want to, we will try."
Ironically, City's first Premier League outing sees them travel to Tottenham on August 15.
It is not just incomings that City have to consider as the new season gets underway, though, with the champions also needing to manage some players who wish to try their hand elsewhere.
Several players have been linked with moves away, and Guardiola confirmed as such, though named only Bernardo Silva as a player who definitely wants to leave.
"Not just Bernardo, there are two, three or four players that want to leave but they are our players under contract and when they bring some offer and their agents come here and they want to leave we are open to discuss absolutely everything, but it depends on them," he added.
"Otherwise, they will continue training really well, they will stay here and I will decide if they play or don't play.
"The players, for what happened in the previous seasons, who want to leave know the door is open because we don't want anyone here unsatisfied. But they have to bring [an offer from a club]. Otherwise, they will stay here."
LaLiga champions Atletico Madrid have been touted as a possible destination for Portugal playmaker Silva, who joined City from Monaco in 2017.
Kane dreams of Euro 2024 success as England captain aims for 'pinnacle' moment
Harry Kane dreams of winning a major tournament with England to mark "the pinnacle of anyone's career", with the Three Lions star hoping to end his trophy drought at Euro 2024.
Bayern Munich striker Kane will lead his country out once more when Gareth Southgate's side open their European Championship campaign against Serbia on Sunday.
Having fallen short in the delayed Euro 2020 final against Italy, as well as World Clup semi-final elimination to Croatia in 2018, Kane is without international glory – and his lack of club success is much discussed, too.
Kane acknowledged his own shortcomings as the England captain aims for national success in Germany.
"I love playing for my country," he said at Saturday's pre-match press conference. "It means the world to me every time I step out onto the pitch wearing that shirt.
"To win a major tournament with England would be the pinnacle of anyone's career. That's the aim.
"For me personally, the trophies haven't quite happened yet, but it just makes me more determined and more hungry to go out there and do that.
"It starts with this summer, where we have a good opportunity. We have a lot of hard work in front of us, but that opportunity is there and I'm looking forward to making it happen."
Kane is England’s record goalscorer overall (63 goals) and their most prolific player at major tournaments (12 goals at World Cup/Euros).
He scored or assisted in all seven of his starts in qualifying (eight goals, two assists) and heads into this tournament after a fine club season with Bayern.
The former Tottenham forward scored 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga games for the most prolific debut campaign in the competition's history.
Yet international success is all that matters over the next month for Kane.
"Every tournament brings different expectations," Kane added. "We've earned the right to be classed as one of the favourites.
"In past tournaments, we've done a lot of things well and done the country proud but, ultimately, we're here to win it and there'll be nothing better for us and the nation itself than if we do that."
As for his own success, individual achievements are far from Kane's priority.
"Back in 2018, the Golden Boot was an amazing achievement, but that's always a consequence of winning games and trying to win the European Championship, which is what we're trying to do," he said.
"If I win the Golden Boot along the way, fantastic as I'm helping my team.
"We have some great goalscorers in the team, players who are on form, who've had fantastic seasons, so now it's about taking that into a major tournament."
Atalanta complete permanent De Ketelaere signing from Milan
Charles De Ketelaere has completed his move from Milan to Atalanta after the Europa League champions signed the Belgian on a permanent deal.
Atalanta confirmed the transfer on Saturday after activating a buy option included in the 23-year-old's loan deal, with De Ketelaere joining in a reported move worth up to €24million.
De Ketelaere failed to impress in his debut season in Italy after joining the Rossoneri from Club Brugge, but found form after a season-long loan deal to Bergamo in the 2023-24 campaign.
The forward helped Gian Piero Gasperini's side to a top-four finish in Serie A, as well as lifting the Europa League trophy for Atalanta's first-ever success on the European stage.
Only Ademola Lookman and Gianluca Scamacca (both 26) provided more direct goal contributions across all competitions than De Ketelaere's 25 last term.
Gasperini unlocked a side to the former Milan man that the Rossoneri failed to find, too, with De Ketelaere creating more open-play chances (78) than any other team-mate across all competitions.
That form has brought a permanent reward for De Ketelaere, who is preparing for Euro 2024 with Belgium in Germany, where the Red Devils will face Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine in Group E.
Hernandez unsure on Milan future as France defender focuses on Euro 2024
Theo Hernandez refused to disclose whether his future remains with Milan amid links to Bayern Munich, as the France international places his full focus on Euro 2024.
Defender Hernandez, brother of Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas, has reportedly drawn interest from Vincent Kompany's Bayern as the Bundesliga giants aim to bolster their defence.
The 26-year-old continues to impress for the Serie A side, who appointed Paulo Fonseca as Stefano Pioli's success this week, despite Milan finishing well behind rivals Inter in the 2023-24 campaign.
Unsurprisingly, his reliable form has led to speculation over his future in Italy, though Hernandez does not want to think about that ahead of France's Euro 2024 opener against Austria on Monday.
"Now I am 100 per cent focused on the Euros," Hernandez said on Saturday.
"Whether I will stay at Milan or leave, we'll see about this afterwards."
Pressed on a potential return to Spain, Hernandez responded: "At the moment I'm not thinking about it yet."
Hernandez was a key figure for Milan once again in the season just past, with no defender scoring more than his five Serie A goals.
Only Inter's Federico Dimarco (11) bettered Hernandez's nine direct goal contributions in the league among defenders, too, as the pair prepare to compete at the European Championship in Germany.
France boss Didier Deschamps will be expected to utilise the attacking side of Hernandez's game once more as Les Bleus aim to go one better than at Euro 2016, when they lost to Portugal in the final.
"We are working to be at our best, this is a competition where there are very good national teams," he added.
"We have made good preparations and now we feel the impatience to play this debut match. We have to get to the end like in the 2022 World Cup. There are many leaders in this group, and I am very happy to be here.
"We are working on various things. I like attacking, I love the offensive phase. With the coach we tried various situations.
"I made progress from a defensive point of view. When I arrived at Milan, I wasn't very good in defence. Now it's better, but I prefer to attack."
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