Harry Kane joins Bayern Munich from Tottenham
Sports Desk, Aug 12 (EFE).- Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich confirmed Saturday that they have signed superstar striker Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur.
The move came after a drawn-out period of negotiations that lasted nearly the entire summer transfer window.
Kane, who had been the Spurs’ captain, has signed a contract that will keep him with Bayern until June 30, 2027, and he will wear No. 9, the reigning 11-time German-league champions said in a statement.
“I’m very happy to be a part of FC Bayern now. Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I’ve always said that I want to compete and prove myself at the highest level during my career. This club is defined by its winning mentality – it feels very good to be here,” Kane was quoted as saying after the transfer was confirmed.
Tottenham reportedly accepted a transfer fee for Kane valued at 100 million euros, plus performance-related add-ons.
The 30-year-old Kane developed his skills in the Spurs’ youth system and was a members of that London club during the first 14 seasons of his senior career.
Starting in 2011, he played 435 matches for the Spurs and scored a team-record 280 goals.
Kane was the top goal scorer in the Premier League in 2016, 2017 and 2021 and exits that league as its second-leading all-time scorer with 213 goals, trailing only Alan Shearer.
He also has been a major part of the English national team, having appeared in 84 matches and notched a record 58 goals.
Among his other accomplishments, Kane was the top scorer at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Yet a major gap in Kane’s resume is the lack of a Champions League or Premier League trophy. An English-league runner-up finish in 2016-2017 and a Champions runner-up finish in 2018-2019 were his best results in those competitions.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern’s CEO, acknowledged that Kane, who, according to news reports, will earn salary of more than 550,000 euros per week, has arrived in Bayern after a “long process.”
He 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,” Dreesen said.
“World-class center-forwards have always been an important factor when FC Bayern has celebrated its greatest triumphs, and we’re convinced that Harry Kane will continue this success story. Our fans can look forward to one of the best goal scorers of our time.”
Bayern had a solid campaign last season but still were looking for a player to replace Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski, who departed for FC Barcelona in 2022, after leading the Munich club to the Champions League title in 2019-2020.
Tottenham’s chairman, Daniel Levy, said for his part that the club had sought over a long period of time to engage Kane and his representatives in several forms of contract extension, both short and long term.”
“Harry was clear, however, that he wanted a fresh challenge and would not be signing a new contract this summer.”
Levy added that “we have seen a product of our academy system become one of the best players to ever pull on a Spurs shirt and become one of world football’s elite strikers.”
Kane, for his part, said in an emotional video uploaded to social media that during his time at Tottenham “there have been so many great moments and special memories, memories I will cherish forever.” EFE
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