Gareth Southgate tells England players to put transfer talk to back of minds

Three Lions face North Macedonia on Monday looking to make it three wins from three Euro 2024 qualifiers

Harry Kane, pictured scoring for England against Malta in their Euro 2024 qualifier, has been linked with a move away from club side Tottenham Hotspur this summer. Getty

England manager Gareth Southgate has encouraged his players to put transfer talk to the back of their minds ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia.

Southgate's side have made a flying start to their qualification campaign with Friday's 4-0 win over Malta making in three wins from three games so far.

Next up will be the Macedonians at a sold-out Old Trafford on Monday that will finally bring what has been a relentless playing schedule this season to a close.

But there are members of Southgate's squad whose club futures are far from clear going into the summer break.

Captain Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Kyle Walker are the subjects of transfer talk, while Harry Maguire, Conor Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips have decisions to make over their lack of game time at club level.

There is also speculation about Jordan Pickford and James Maddison, but Southgate has not spoken to players about it – even though the former defender does have some advice.

“I haven't felt the need to say anything,” Southgate said. “I mean, the players are tapping each other up anyway on the quiet, so I can't do anything about that!

“What I have said is that these things run their course, they happen in their own time, you can't force it as a player.

“Don't get frustrated, don't be asking all summer. You don't need to be updated on every call that happens.

“There's a lot of negotiation that goes on. I remember as a player getting too wrapped up in every detail of that.

“In the end, there's only a small amount that you can actually control.

“I think all of those things will happen later on in the summer and I think the players understand that, really.

“And they know the focus for the next 36 hours is this game, finishing the season well, making sure we're set on 12 points and we'll be in a very healthy position if we do that.”

Southgate was speaking alongside left-back Luke Shaw at Sunday's pre-match press conference and the defender smiled when “tapping up” was mentioned.

England are training at Manchester United's Carrington base and the 27-year-old posted an Instagram story on Saturday showing pictures of him next to Kane and another with Rice.

The Old Trafford giants have a long-standing interest in both, and Shaw tagged them in the post with the caption “Carrington tour” and an eyes emoji.

Asked who he has been tapping up, Shaw said with a laugh: “There's a few.”

When Mason Mount, another player United are interested in, was mentioned to him, Shaw said: “Obviously, he's not here but I think it is all just a bit of banter, really.

“Obviously we have a joke and a laugh about it, not too sure what goes on behind the scenes.

“It's to do with the club, really, but of course when we are here we are always together and we have a joke about it.

“I don't really know too much of what is going on. That's just it really.”