Harry Kane has posted an emotional message to Tottenham fans after completing his move to Bayern Munich, but raised hopes of a potential return in the future by saying “it’s not a goodbye”.
The 30-year-old, who will wear the No 9 shirt at his new club, has signed a four-year contract and joins the Bundesliga champions in a deal worth a reported £86m.
The move ends Kane’s 19-year association with his hometown club where he played 435 matches and scored a club-record 280 goals after making his debut in 2011.
He managed 213 goals in the Premier League, a record that puts him second in the competition’s all-time top scorer charts behind Alan Shearer on 260.
During his time with Spurs, Kane won numerous individual awards including three Premier League Golden Boots and the PFA Young Player of the Year award, however he was unable to win a major trophy.
The England captain will expect that to change at his new club, with Bayern’s latest Bundesliga triumph last season marking their 11th successive league title.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to be the first to tell you Tottenham fans that I’ll be leaving the club today,” he said.
“Obviously a lot of emotions going through me right now and sad to be leaving the club I’ve spent nearly 20 years of my life at since I was an 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.
“So this is a thank you to all my teammates over the years, all the coaches, managers, every single staff member to do with the club from the kit man to the chefs everyone involved.
“Obviously I’ve built special relationships with a lot of people and most importantly a thank you to the Tottenham fans, from the moment I’ve been playing I’ve been one of your own and I’ve given everything that I possibly could to make you proud and give you as many special moments and memories to hopefully last forever.
“I felt like this was the time to leave, I didn’t want to go into the season with a lot of unresolved future talk, I think it was important for the new manager and the players to concentrate on trying to get Tottenham back to around the top of the table and fighting for trophies so I wish Ange and all the boys all the best of luck honestly.
“I’ll be watching from a fan point of view now and I hope the team can be successful.”
He added: “Thank you. I’ll be watching this season. Good luck to Tottenham, good luck to the whole club. It’s not a goodbye as you never know how things will pan out in the future but it’s a thank you and I’ll see you soon.”
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: “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. 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.
“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. It has been a truly remarkable journey.
“Harry’s achievements and records say everything about the player, and throughout his 19 years at the club, Harry has been a model professional, on and off the pitch and an inspiration for young players who dream of following in his footsteps.
“I should like to thank Harry for everything he’s done for us, all the memories, all the records – we wish him and his family all the best for the future. It goes without saying, he’s always welcome back. He’s a much loved and valued member of the Spurs family, forever in our history.”
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) August 12, 2023
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#ServusHarry pic.twitter.com/W0CTKlzRs1
Bayern’s CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said: “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.
“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.
“World-class centre 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 goalscorers of our time.”
Analysis: Kane exit leaves Spurs staring into the great unknown
Time will tell how prepared Spurs truly are to move on from their talisman, and Sunday’s test in west London will offer an early indication as to what their new-look frontline may look like and how it could operate.
Postecoglou was right to assert that there is no such thing as a “like-for-like” replacement for Kane, given his dual threat as a goalscorer and goal-creator. But there is no shortage of attacking talent still at the club.
The addition of James Maddison will help to alleviate the creative void that Kane will leave while also adding a goal threat from midfield, something that Spurs have sorely lacked since the days of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.
Richarlison, a £60m signing last summer and Brazil’s No 9 at the last World Cup, will have to step up after contributing just one Premier League goal in his debut campaign, as will Son Heung-min, who endured his worst scoring season since 2014-15 while hamstrung by a hernia injury.
Son will become the natural figurehead of a new-look Spurs attack, and quite possibly the new club captain too, and like Richarlison is well capable of operating from the left or through the middle. Dejan Kulusevski, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and possibly even Pedro Porro, offer different skill-sets on the right.
Having relied upon Kane for so long, Spurs will now have to learn to adapt and evolve without him. Postecoglou will hope that process can happen as quickly as possible as he prepares to lead his team headfirst into the great unknown
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