Bayern Munich look to fill a gaping hole with Harry Kane’s name

Bayern Munich have reportedly had a €80 million plus add-ons bid for Harry Kane rejected Tottenham Hotspur. This is the Bavarians’ second proposal to be turned down after a €70 million offer was rejected a week prior.Harry Kane, whose contract expires next summer, is reportedly keen on a move to Munich. However, negotiations with Spurs proved difficult, as club chairman Daniel Levy is reluctant to let the club’s talismanic striker leave without an exorbitant sum of money in exchange.Here is why Bayern Munich want Harry Kane, and the questions surrounding a potential move to Germany.
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel – who now holds much greater influence over club transfers courtesy of a board reshuffle in May – sees the Englishman as the perfect solution to Bayern’s problems. After selling Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona last summer, Bayern Munich under former coach Julian Naglesmann decided to head into the 2022/23 season with a new system.
The team would pivot away from playing with a dedicated number, 9 and instead utilize a fluid front four. While this worked at the start, Nagelsmann quickly reverted back to using back-up striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (33 years old at the time) as the focal point of Bayern’s attack.
With Nagelsmann now gone and Tuchel in charge, finding a new striker is at the top of Bayern’s summer transfer priorities.
Victor Osimhen was deemed too expensive, while Randal Kolo Muani was judged to be the wrong profile of player for Bayern, who instead craved a physical penalty box presence. Meanwhile, Dusan Vlahovic failed to impress the club’s hierarchy.
Kane is the right profile for Bayern. At 1.88 meters tall, he is a strong presence in the penalty box. His proficiency in the air makes him the perfect player to get on the end of the many crosses Bayern’s wingers and full-backs like to send into the box. For Bayern, a team who very often face Bundesliga sides who sit deep within their own half, such a player is crucial for scoring against low blocks.
Oftentimes this season, Bayern struggled against such opponents, with no clear target to aim for in the box. Kane is also an adept playmaker. He often drops off opponent center backs to help build up play, and his excellence in this aspect of play – as seen through his prolific partnership with Son Heung-min at Spurs – will be key in exploiting Bayern’s pacey wingers on the counter attack.
In a market not short of striking options, Harry Kane is the most proven one. The 29-year old (who turns 30 in late July) has 320 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 213 goals and providing 50 asss in the process. The Tottenham star is not only the club’s all time leading goal scorer, but also the second highest goal scorer in Premier League hory – 47 away from Alan Shearer’s record.
He also has 58 goals in 84 appearances for the England senior national team.
Trophies eluded
However if one thing has eluded Kane at Spurs, it is trophies. In his 10 seasons at the club, Kane hasn’t won a single major trophy. It is the desire to win trophies that will likely tempt the player to push for a move to Germany. At Bayern, Kane is not only part of a team who are favorites to win both the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, but also one with the quality and quantity to challenge for the Champions League.
Kane may be turning 30 soon, but the past few seasons have shown that elite strikers can thrive past the three decade mark. Robert Lewandoski, who despite being 34-years old, has figures of 33, 50, 48, and 55 goals across the past four seasons. Karim Benzema is further evidence to the claim that top strikers can continue scoring goals for fun well into their 30s. Harry Kane and Bayern Munich seem like a perfect match for each other, but the question of money still stands in the way.Despite hot interest, Spurs are keen on holding onto their beloved striker.
The Telegraph reports that Tottenham are offering Kane, whose contract expires next summer, a new deal worth €468,000 a week. A meeting with new head coach Ange Postecoglou is scheduled to try and convince Kane to renew in London. However, Sport1 notes that Kane is inclined to leave Spurs, and may not sign a new deal even if a move to Bayern this summer falls through. In this case, Bayern and Kane seem to have an understanding to sign the player on a free next summer.
Spurs would rather sell to a foreign club than one of their English rivals. But Bayern, who are horically stingy spenders, are not willing to go over €100 million to secure the player’s services. There is a feeling at Saebener Strasse that Spurs will eventually lower their guard and accept the offer on the table. Negotiations are expected to continue well into August, as Bayern Munich look to fill the gaping hole at the top of their team sheet with Harry Kane’s name.
(The writer is an intern at the Indian Express)