Harry Kane to Bayern Munich: Tottenham striker’s move ‘imminent’ as medical due
Kane #Kane
11 August 2023
Updated 5 hours ago
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Harry Kane: Spurs moving forward without Kane – Postecoglou
England captain Harry Kane has arrived in Germany for a medical at Bayern Munich as he nears a move from Tottenham.
The decision to move was then left up to Kane, who is Tottenham’s all-time top scorer with 280 goals in 435 appearances.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Friday the deal is “imminent”.
Kane had one year left on his contract and was unlikely to stay with the club.
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Harry Kane: Bayern Munich still working on ‘huge deal’ for striker – Tuchel
Providing there are no unexpected issues, Kane’s move will be completed in time to start the Bundesliga season next week.
It was felt the striker wanted a decision around his future made before the season began, but it has taken Bayern most of the summer to reach a point where Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was prepared to do a deal.
He could have run down the final year of his contract before leaving on a free transfer in 2024.
Manchester City’s attempt to sign Kane in 2021 prompted the England striker to delay his return for pre-season training, but he played on Tottenham’s recent pre-season tour of Australia and South East Asia while negotiations with Bayern continued and last appeared on Sunday against Shakhtar Donetsk.
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Record-scorer Kane’s best Spurs goals
Spurs will face Brentford in their first match of the season on Sunday while Bayern begin their campaign against RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup on Saturday.
Kane has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times – in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2020-21 – and with 213 goals from 320 games in the English top-flight he needs just 48 more to break Alan Shearer’s Premier League scoring record. A move to Germany could kill off that prospect.
Shearer posted on social media following Friday morning’s news to joke it is time for Kane to move on from the Premier League, with the expected departure leaving the former Newcastle and Blackburn striker’s tally of 260 top-flight goals safe for now.
Image source, @alanshearer Twitter
Kane, who is England’s all-time leading scorer with 58 international goals, has never won a major trophy with club or country.
Bayern Munich claimed their 33rd Bundesliga title last season – an 11th in a row – and have won the Champions League six times and German Cup on 20 occasions.
In a news conference on Friday, Postecoglou said that Kane had already “made up his mind” by the time the Australian took the manager job in June.
“I don’t have a blow by blow account but my understanding is that it’s progressed to a point where it’s going to happen and a deal is imminent” Postecoglou said.
“That at least gives us some clarity, unless something unforeseen happens – we move forward without Harry.”
The Spurs boss also said that Kane had wanted a deal done before the start of the Premier League season and that plans were in place for his departure.
“I had a conversation with Harry the first day he arrived and he was up front and honest. I was the same,” Postecoglou said.
“In my mind, after that initial conversation, it seemed like Harry had made up his mind that if the clubs could agree, he was going to go. If not, he was happy to stay.
“He was very professional about it and I tried to treat him with the respect that someone of his standing deserved.”
Postecoglou added that Kane will always be one of Spurs’ “greats” and that his move will not change that.
Earlier on Friday, Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel also faced the media and said his club were working with “full pressure” on the deal.
“We can confirm this, but as we speak there is no agreement yet and if there is no agreement yet then the coach cannot talk about someone who is not their player,” Tuchel said.
“I understand there are a lot of ifs and whens. All options are open. The first is to have him as a player and at the moment he is not yet that.
“This is a big deal. We are trying to take the England captain away from the Premier League.”
5 June 2023: Real Madrid also express interest in signing Kane.
15 June 2023: United pull out of race to sign Kane, reportedly because of difficulty of dealing with Levy and Spurs asking for too much money.
7 August 2023: Tottenham reject Bayern’s most recent offer for Kane, with the Bundesliga champions suggesting an unsuccessful bid on this occasion would mean they moved on to other transfer targets.
11 August 2023: Kane is given permission by Spurs to fly to Germany for a medical.
On our dedicated Tottenham page, we asked for your thoughts on Harry Kane seemingly choosing to make the switch to Bayern Munich.
Here are some of your replies:
Ron: Very disappointed that HK has decided to go, particularly 48 hours before the first match of a new season! He may well win a few trophies with Bayern but I don’t believe they will mean as much as becoming the leading Premier League goalscorer!
Nick: Goodbye, Harry, and thanks for your service. We hope it works out for you in pastures new. Now looking forward, Ange – you can now shape this team in your fashion, not restricted by Harry. This I believe will make Spurs stronger, not weaker! Looking forward to Sunday and for the first time in years watching Spurs PLAY with passion and excitement! COYS!
Colin F: Dark day at Spurs, losing our/the Premier League’s best all-round striker. The owners of the club are to blame. It all started when Pochettino was sacked. The owners do not care about THFC football club, they put money above all. We are the laughing stock of the Premier League!
Peter: Good luck, Harry. You’ve been incredible for Spurs for so long. Thank you.
Colin H: Will he be remembered for winning the German league? I don’t think so. He has been in three finals with Spurs – including the Champions League – and failed in all of them.