Gareth Southgate jokes England players will be ‘tapping up’ team-mates on international duty

England manager Gareth Southgate and defender Luke Shaw have joked about international duty being a chance for “tapping up” to take place this summer.

There are several England internationals who have been linked with moves between Premier League sides in the current window, including Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, Declan Rice, James Maddison and Harry Kane.

The England team face North Macedonia on Monday at Old Trafford as they look for their fourth consecutive victory in their Euro 2024 qualifying group.

“I haven’t felt the need to say anything,” joked Southgate.

“The players are tapping each other up anyway on the quiet so I can’t do anything about that!

“What I have said is 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. A lot of negotiation goes on.

“I remember as a player getting too wrapped up in every detail of that. In the end, there is only a small amount that you can actually control.”

However, Southgate believes that the transfer speculation will not be too much of a problem.

He added: “I think all of those things will happen later on in the summer and I think the players understand that.

“They know the focus for the next 36 hours is this game. Finishing the season well, making sure we’re set on 12 points.

“We will be in a very healthy position if we do that.”

Luke Shaw has posted photos of his team-mates Kane and Rice on a “Carrington tour,” the United training base used by England for the upcoming fixture.

Discussing Mount’s potential transfer, Shaw said: “Obviously, he is not here but I think it is all just a bit of banter really.

“We have a joke and a laugh about it. (I’m) not too sure what goes on behind the scenes.

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