Tottenham manager Antonio Conte says Harry Kane is “totally involved” in his project at the club after it appeared the striker would leave last summer.
Premier League winners Manchester City were keen to sign Kane, 28, last year.
The England captain believed he had a gentleman’s agreement with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to move on.
“He wants to give 100% in every game and I am totally satisfied with his commitment and the relationship we have created within the team,” said Conte.
The Spurs boss added: “I knew the situation in the summer and, when Harry decided to stay in Tottenham, I found a player totally involved in this project.
“I am happy to have him in my team because we are talking about the top player, a top striker in the world, and if we want to win or if we want to think to build something to win, Harry must be a point of start.”
Conte said he followed Kane’s transfer situation from afar and added it was a “great choice” by Levy to stand firm and keep the player, who is under contract until 2024.
Under Conte – who replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo as head coach in November – sixth-placed Spurs are unbeaten in eight Premier League games.
Kane had only scored one league goal in the 2021-22 campaign prior to the former Inter Milan manager’s arrival, but he has now scored three times in his past four league games.
“In this way you are showing you want to try to continue to build something important around one of the best players in your team,” Conte added.
“I followed the situation but now it is not right to look at the past. Now we have to live in the present, which says that Harry is a player at Tottenham and continues to be one of the best players in this team.
“He is a point of reference in the dressing room and an experienced player. I am totally enthusiastic about his involvement in the team and the Tottenham project.”
Tottenham face Conte’s former club Chelsea in their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) as the club aims to set up the opportunity to end a 14-year wait for a trophy.
Spurs, who won the League Cup in 2007-08, lost last season’s final to Manchester City.
“I think that when Tottenham brought me here they wanted to send a signal outside – and maybe also to our players,” Conte said.
“I think this is important and we have to try to build a situation where we are all involved and to try to create a situation that we can be competitive to try to win.
“At the moment I think there is an important gap with other teams. I see many, many teams more ready now to win the title at this moment. But we have to work and we have to try to improve in every aspect.”
