Harry Kane has agreed to join Bayern Munich from Tottenham in a deal worth in excess of £86m.
It comes following the news on Thursday that Bayern had reached an agreement with Tottenham after a summer-long chase for the England captain.
Kane is thought to have agreed personal terms on a four-year contract with the German champions.
Kane is about to enter the final year of his Spurs contract, meaning he would be free to leave for nothing in 12 months’ time. If Kane stayed at Spurs and saw out the final year of his deal it would not only increase his options next summer when he will be a free agent but will mean he can not only sign a shorter-term contract or, indeed, could join another Premier League club.
Chairman Daniel Levy is believed to value the striker closer to £120 million, but the risk of the club’s star asset departing for free in under a year has underscored negotiations with Bayern.
The key to the deal appears to be Bayern having re-organised their offer so that Spurs receive a far greater amount of money up-front, with fewer add-ons and staggered payments, so they can invest in their squad immediately.
Kane had reportedly been keen to stay in England in order to pursue Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League scoring record of 260 goals. He has netted 213 times in the top flight since making his Spurs debut in 2012.
He was the subject of interest from Manchester United earlier in the summer, but the club opted instead to target less costly alternatives in a bid to stay within their transfer budget.
Bayern have been confident all summer that Kane wants to join them but the protracted nature of the negotiations, with three previous offers having been rejected by Spurs and with the Premier League campaign kicking off this weekend, had called that into doubt. It appears now that a deal is closer than any time previously.
Spurs supporters sang “we want you to stay” during Sunday’s 5-1 friendly victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, new manager Ange Postecoglou’s first home game in charge. Kane scored four times in that game.
Meanwhile in Germany Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel has made Kane his No 1 target and remains extremely confident that the 30-year-old will sign. He would be stunned if it does not happen.
Given that Bayern have won 11 Bundesliga titles in a row his chances of silverware are almost guaranteed in Germany while Tuchel has told him they can win the Champions League together.
Spurs begin their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on Sunday, with Kane reportedly keen for his future to have been decided by then.
