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Uli Hoeness is not a man known for being discreet, but this time he’s dropped a real bombshell on us. Speaking to kicker’s Georg Holzner, the old patriarch declared that Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has chosen Bayern Munich as his new destination, and promised fans that we will see him in red this season — so long as the England captain keeps his word.
Here is the quote, as captured by the ever-reliable @iMiaSanMia:
❗ Uli Hoeneß on Harry Kane: "He has very clearly signaled that his decision was made. If he keeps his word, we'll get him. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge speaks to him regularly" [@georg_holzner] pic.twitter.com/LEsJNfV8rF
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) July 15, 2023
“Tottenham will have to give in,” he added.
“Harry Kane now wants to play in European competitions. Tottenham won’t be there next season, we will be there. He has another chance to join a top European club” (via @_kochmaximilian on Twitter).
Now, if you’re Daniel Levy, you’re probably gonna take this as a challenge. After the immense progress made in the last week or so, with CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen having a face-to-face meeting with Levy in London, this seems like an ill-timed remark by Uli. However, it does tell us what Bayern think about the transfer behind the scenes. Uli would not make such bullish statements without a great deal of certainty about the outcome.
Now, the qualifier here is important — “if he keeps his word”. If Harry Kane decides differently, he could easily decide to sign an extension with Spurs and remain in England for the foreseeable future, with Bayern left hanging. As for the possibility that Spurs block a transfer this summer, Uli is probably assuming that Bayern can get Kane for free in 2024 — a tactic similar to how the club landed Robert Lewandowski back in the day.
However, in Lewandowski’s case, Bayern was always the frontrunner in negotiations. Can the same be said about Kane, who will probably have the likes of Chelsea or Man United to choose from when the time comes?
All in all, it’s a reckless thing to say. Did Uli Hoeness just raise Kane’s price by €20m? We shall see. For now, the fans will be watching this transfer with bated breath. The bosses better make good on their word, or it could get really ugly.
Update
No, Uli wasn’t playing 11D chess, his statements annoyed Bayern too.
Die offensiven Aussagen von Uli Hoeneß zu Harry Kane kamen Bayern-intern gar nicht gut an und werden von den handelnden Personen als unglücklich und unnötig eingestuft.
— Kerry Hau (@kerry_hau) July 16, 2023
Dennoch herrscht weiter Zuversicht, in den kommenden Wochen eine Einigung mit den Spurs zu erzielen.@SPORT1 https://t.co/jrczzlBY2Q
The offensive statements by Uli Hoeneß about Harry Kane were not well received by Bayern and are classified by the people involved as unfortunate and unnecessary.
Nevertheless, there is still confidence that an agreement can be reached with Spurs in the coming weeks.
Update #2
According to Manuel Bonke of TZ, Bayern Munich are worried that Uli Hoeness’ statements could make Harry Kane more expensive.
Per the report, new CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen wants to conduct negotiations in secret. He was already upset that the meeting with Daniel Levy earlier in the week was leaked to the press.
Bayern seem to still be confident about signing Harry Kane. However, Uli might have made the whole operation slightly more complicated. What that costs the team in terms of time, money, or success on the pitch — it remains to be seen.
Remember, if you want an in-depth look at the Kane transfer, including the financials, how much Levy wants, who Bayern Munich can sell to raise funds, alternatives, and a lot more besides — check out our latest podcast episode! We talk about that and so much more. Listen to it below or on Spotify.
As always, we appreciate all the support!
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