England captain Harry Kane ended his record-breaking career with Tottenham yesterday, saying "it was time to leave” after signing a four-year deal with Bayern Munich until 2027. Kane moves to the Bundesliga giants chasing trophies after two decades at his boyhood Premier League club without silverware.Later yesterday, Kane began his Bayern career on the bench for late last night’s German Supercup clash with RB Leipzig, just hours after becoming the club’s record signing.Signed from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in excess of 100mn euros ($109.6mn), Kane could win the first major silverware of his career on his first day as a Bayern player.Kane, who will wear the number nine shirt vacated by Robert Lewandowski, indicated on social media earlier on Saturday that he was "feeling good” and "looking forward to the game” after taking part in his first training session as a new Bayern player. The Bavarians are looking to claim their 11th Supercup with victory over Leipzig, a repeat of last season’s curtain-raiser of the German domestic season, which ended 5-3 to Bayern."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,” Kane posted on social media after joining Bayern. "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.”After protracted negotiations between Bayern and Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy a deal was finally struck on Thursday. Levy said Tottenham had "reluctantly agreed to the 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 Robert Lewandowski who left for Barcelona last season.Kane, who was out of contract next summer, leaves 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.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.Kane had been linked with a move away from Spurs two years ago but Manchester City failed in their pursuit. His last appearance for Tottenham came last Sunday when he scored in a friendly against Shakhtar Donetesk.
August 12, 2023 | 11:13 PM