Mourinho insists there is no problem between him and Danny Rose

Spurs manager plays down reports of bust-up after player was left out of last two games

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said: ‘My relationship with my players is good and I love to work with my group. And that’s it.’ Photograph: Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

José Mourinho has played down reports of a training ground bust-up with Danny Rose.

The Tottenham head coach is said to have clashed with Rose after he was left out of Saturday's 0-0 draw at Watford, having also missed the midweek FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.

But Mourinho said he had no issues with his left-back and explained further why he left him out.

“No. Between me and Danny? No,” Mourinho said when asked if there had been a disagreement. “My relationship with my players is good and I love to work with my group. And that’s it.

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“I don’t know what you mean by tension in the air, I don’t have any problem with him.

“He was not selected against Watford and Middlesbrough. The reason he was not selected against Middlesbrough is we have a young left-back we want to develop and it was a great opportunity to play [Ryan] Sessegnon.

"And also because his performance against Liverpool was not phenomenal.

“On the Thursday before Watford, late evening, I got a call from my medical staff saying that Danny was calling them with a problem in his back and he wouldn’t train the next day.

“So Friday, the day before the game, it was a bit of surprise that he was ready to train. It was not a big problem but even so I decided then to play with [Japhet] Tanganga and have Ryan on the bench. That’s the situation.”

With just 10 days left of the transfer window, Mourinho was not prepared to update on any movements, either signings or the potential sale of Christian Eriksen.

Good relationship

Eriksen, who Inter Milan have reportedly bid for, will be involved in Wednesday's Premier League game against Norwich.

“In relation to Christian, the answer is not good for you. But that is the answer, and the answer is he is selected for [Wednesday].

Spurs have been linked with Paris St Germain striker Edinson Cavani, but Mourinho did not want to speak about a striker, unless his name was Kylian Mbappe.

“I think I have a very good relationship with Mr Nasser [Al-Khelaifi, PSG president] and Mr Leonardo [PSG sporting director],” he said.

“I want to keep that great relation, and good relations are based on respect, and I’m not going to talk about a player from Paris St Germain.

“Unless you want to joke and they are my friends, they could send Mbappe on loan. More than that I have nothing to say.”

Spurs will have Tanguy Ndombele back against Norwich after a hip injury which kept him out of four games and has caused frustration to Mourinho.

The Portuguese said he will play some part against the Canaries.

“He’s ready, he’s not ready for 90 minutes,” he said. “He will be involved. He will be selected. I’m not telling you to start or come later, but no injury.

“Completely free. Just a question of condition and mentality to be ready, but he’s back [on Wednesday].

“Let’s see. I am confident he can stay fit but let’s see. We know what he can give to the team.

“If I focus on the few minutes or matches that he played for us I saw qualities that are very important for a team to play like we do.

“But of course, it is not nice to play a game and after 15 minutes be out, it is not nice to play one game and then stops for two, three or four.

“This last week he worked individual work with fitness coach to bring his level up and then he was integrated with the team without any kind of problem and hopefully [on Wednesday] it is a good start for him.”

Ben Davies (ankle), Hugo Lloris (elbow), Harry Kane (hamstring) and Moussa Sissoko (knee) are all out.