A furious-looking Ange Postecoglou was presented with a Bayern Munich shirt with ‘Kane 9’ on the back during his press conference in Bangkok on Saturday.
In an awkward exchange that overshadowed Postecoglou addressing the media ahead of Sunday’s friendly against Leicester City, a German journalist asked the Tottenham Hotspur head coach for his thoughts on the kit.
Bayern Munich have already had a bid of £60million plus add-ons rejected for Kane this summer, and are expected to keep pushing for a player they feel confident wants to join them.
Postecoglou was initially asked whether he still wasn’t “relaxed” about the Kane situation as he had said in an interview earlier in the week.
“That was two days ago and nothing has changed,” Postecoglou responded.
The reporter then revealed the shirt and said: “What does that look like? It looks quite good, no?”
Postecoglou responded: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
After a pause, he added: “Did you get a good laugh for it? Got what you came to get? Maybe? Very good. You came a long way for that, thank you.”
In his next answer, replying to a question about whether he hoped to replicate Manchester United’s success in winning at the stadium, Postecoglou said: “All I can do is just try to work hard like I have everywhere else. We’re in the early part of it. As I said, it’s a massive football club, a massive opportunity and a massive challenge here.”
Referring to the Bayern Kane shirt, he added: “That’s what we’ll try to do, bring success to one of the biggest football clubs in the world, big enough to make up fake jumpers to be a presence.”
Postecoglou said on Friday that he hoped there was a resolution to the Kane situation before “too long,” adding that a drawn-out saga would not be good for anyone.
Tottenham are keen to tie Kane down to a long-term contract but the striker, whose current deal expires next summer, has not indicated he wants to sign one.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Spurs would not countenance losing Kane on a free next summer, but Bayern’s initial bid was rejected out of hand.
Spurs begin their Premier League season on August 13 against Brentford, and although Postecoglou did not set that as a deadline for a resolution, it would surely be in no one’s interests for the uncertainty to still be rumbling on then.
GO DEEPER
Standing firm and keeping Kane would be a risk worth taking for Levy and Spurs
(Photo: Getty Images)
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