AFP
England captain Harry Kane was on Saturday handed an immediate opportunity to win his first piece of silverware after being named on the Bayern Munich bench for the German Super Cup, just hours after ending his record-breaking career with Tottenham.
Kane, 30, has moved to the Bundesliga giants after two decades at his boyhood Premier League club where he was constantly thwarted in his bid for trophies.
“I felt like it was the time to leave. I didn’t want to go into the season with a lot of unresolved future talk,” said Kane after signing for a Bundesliga record 100 million euros ($110 million, GBP86 million) plus 10 million euros in bonuses.
“Obviously a lot of emotions going through me right now; sad to be leaving the club I’ve spent nearly 20 years of my life at, from 11-year-old boy to a 30-year-old man now.
“There’s been so many great moments and special memories, memories that I will cherish forever.”
Kane, who will wear the number nine shirt vacated by Robert Lewandowski, indicated he was “feeling good” ahead of Saturday’s Super Cup clash with Leipzig after taking part in his first training session as a new Bayern player.
Bayern fans lined up hours before kick-off at Munich’s Allianz Arena to get their “Kane 9” shirts printed at the club store as a buzz of anticipation accompanied the player’s first appearance.
As Kane entered the field with his new teammates, the home supporters welcomed him with an ovation that filled the arena.
The Bavarians are looking to claim their 11th Super Cup with victory over Leipzig, a repeat of last season’s curtain-raiser of the German domestic season, which ended 5-3 to Bayern.
After protracted negotiations between Bayern and Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy a deal was finally struck on Thursday.
“It’s been a long process, but now we’re all the happier that Harry Kane will be wearing the Bayern Munich shirt with immediate effect,” said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
He added: “Harry Kane was our absolute dream player right from the start. He is a perfect fit for us and the club’s DNA in terms of both football and character.”
Levy said Tottenham had “reluctantly agreed to the transfer”.
“We sought over a long period of time to engage Harry and his representatives in several forms of contract extension, both short and long term,” Levy commented.
“Harry was clear, however, that he wanted a fresh challenge and would not be signing a new contract this summer. We have reluctantly, therefore, agreed to his transfer.”
Kane flew to Munich on Friday evening to complete the traditional medical where he was greeted by a multitude of Bayern fans before putting pen to paper on his new contract.
Six-time European champions Bayern were in desperate need of a striker after struggling to replace Lewandowski who left for Barcelona last season.
Kane, who was out of contract next summer, left Tottenham having scored 280 goals in 435 games to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, but without a trophy.
Kane is also England’s all-time top goalscorer with 58 international goals. He finished top scorer at the 2018 World Cup where England reached the semi-finals.
At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, they were defeated by France in the quarter-finals, Kane first scoring and then missing a penalty with England 2-1 down and six minutes left on the clock.
Kane also featured in his country’s run to the European Championship final in 2021 where they lost to Italy in a penalty shoot-out.
Silverware is all but guaranteed at Bayern, who have won 11 straight Bundesliga titles.
The club won the Bundesliga in each of Lewandowski’s eight seasons in Munich, with the Pole averaging 30 goals per season. In 2022-23, not one Bayern player hit the 15 league goal mark.
Kane has scored more than 20 league goals in all but three of the past nine Premier League seasons, winning the Golden Boot on three occasions.
Despite finishing second in last season’s Premier League scoring charts behind Erling Haaland (36), Kane netted 30 league goals in 2022-23, equalling his best mark.
Bayern were eliminated by eventual winners Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season and only won the Bundesliga title on goal difference thanks to a final-day capitulation from Borussia Dortmund.
AFP
