Bayern Munich have stepped up their pursuit of Harry Kane by claiming the Tottenham striker has given them his word that he wants to join them this summer.
The German club last week sent a delegation to meet Spurs chairman Daniel Levy over a deal and now Uli Hoeness, Bayern’s deputy chairman and honorary president, says Kane has made his decision over moving to the Bundesliga champions and all that is left is for a transfer fee to be agreed.
Bayern wanted to pay £60 million plus add-ons for the England captain, who is in the final year of his contract, but Spurs have not accepted any bid for their leading goalscorer, who has gone on the club’s pre-season tour to Australia as part of Ange Postecoglou’s squad. The striker held his first meeting with new manager Postecoglou last Wednesday.
Spurs are willing to offer Kane a new contract, worth around £400,000-a-week and with a post-career plan, to stay at the club but will be braced for further attempts to land him after Hoeness’s comments from Germany. Hoeness also claims talks with the Kane family, who represent him, have gone smoothly.
“Up to now it was the case that Harry has clearly signalled in all the talks that his mind is made up. And if that remains the case, then we’ll get him,” Hoeness said. “Then Tottenham will have to give way.
“Now he has the chance again to come to a top club in Europe. What we all like is that he and his agents, his father and the brother, have always clearly stood by what they’ve said. If it stays like that, then that’s OK.
“Kane now wants to play in European competitions. Tottenham won’t be there next season, we will be there. He has another chance to join a top European club. [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge speaks to him regularly.”
Hoeness, speaking at Bayern’s training camp on Saturday, said negotiations with Levy were proving difficult.
‘Levy is clever and savvy’
“He’s clever,” Hoeness said. “He isn’t naming a price. First of all, we have to bring him so far as to name a price. Of course, he’s playing for time. He’s savvy and, I find, a super professional, I really like him. But I think these are people who haven’t just been doing this since yesterday.”
Hoeness’s claims are likely to anger Spurs as the battle intensifies over Kane’s future. He has been at Spurs for his entire professional career, and last season overtook Jimmy Greaves as the club’s top-scorer. He made it clear he wanted to leave for Manchester City in 2021 but Levy did not accept an offer to join Pep Guardiola’s team.
Kane has not agreed a new deal since and is within sight of a lucrative Bosman move as a free agent, where his wages would increase significantly. An added twist to the transfer saga is that the 29-year-old is within 47 goals of Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of 260, and setting a new record would have to be put on hold with any move to Germany.
Kane believes he could play on for another 10 years at the top level, but Spurs want to do everything possible to keep the club’s record scorer.
Bayern are coached by ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who had three Premier League targets this summer in Kane, Kyle Walker and Declan Rice, completed his £105 million move to Arsenal to become the most expensive British player in Premier League history on Saturday.
The Bundesliga club believe they have a chance to sign Walker from Manchester City and clearly have confidence in a Kane deal.
“I will not comment on players who are not under contract with us. But we’re looking at this position. If we’re convinced a player would help us, then we go all in,” Tuchel said.
Telegraph Sport has contacted Kane’s representatives for comment.
