Harry Kane says he wants to play at the "highest level", including in the Champions League; the Bayern Munich striker also details how he will adapt to a new country and league in Germany; Kane completed a £100m from Tottenham on Saturday and made his debut later that day
Sunday 13 August 2023 14:13, UK
Harry Kane said his move from Tottenham from Bayern Munich was "an up-and-down experience", detailing how he plans to adapt to his new life in Germany.
The England captain completed his £100m move and made his debut on Saturday, before coming off the bench in his side's 3-0 German Super Cup defeat to RB Leipzig.
Kane said in a press conference on Sunday: "It was obviously a busy couple of days, a busy week. This is my first transfer that have been involved in, it was an up-and-down experience for sure, but I am happy to be here.
"I wish Tottenham all the best, I wish Daniel Levy all the best but my focus is here now and I am just happy we managed to do it and am looking forward to get started.
"I've always said in my career, I've wanted to keep improving, keep pushing myself to my limits and see how far that can take me.
"Ultimately, I want to be playing at the highest level, I want it to be playing in the Champions League, I want to be fighting for titles every year.
"Coming to Bayern Munich, one of the biggest clubs in the world, gives me that opportunity, so I'm looking forward to that challenge."
The striker's move comes ahead of a men's European Championships next summer, set to be played in Kane's new home of Germany.
When asked if he had spoken to manager Gareth Southgate following his transfer, Kane added: "Gareth sent me a text yesterday congratulating me and said that he would give me a call next week once things calm down a little bit.
"He'll be excited. He knows his striker for England is playing at the highest level and that can only help the national team."
Kane recorded a farewell video to Tottenham fans after his move to Bayern was complete. He has spoken about how difficult it was to leave his boyhood club, saying he will return to say goodbye.
"I didn't get chance to [say goodbye] properly. I sent the players a text to say I was leaving, but I will go and do it properly when I can," he said.
"It was always going to be a tough decision. I was at Tottenham for 19 years of my life; the club is connected with me. Ultimately, I'm a professional, I've always pushed myself to my limits and the time was right.
"People will talk about [Alan] Shearer and the record. I've got plenty of football left in my career, for now it is about reaching new levels with this club right now."
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, who was involved in the transfer negotations, added that he owes Daniel Levy a dinner following Kane's move.
"Daniel and I got closer in the last couple of weeks, that's for sure," he said.
"It was quite tough negotiations, Daniel is a very friendly person but he knows what he wants. So, two people teamed together who knew exactly what they wanted, and that's why it took a bit longer.
"But in the end, both of us do have a good feeling. I will pay for a dinner for him."
Kane has never played his club football outside of England. He spent the entirety of his senior career with Tottenham in the Premier League with loan spells at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich and Leicester.
Now he faces the prospect of adapting to a new league in the Bundesliga, as well as new culture in Germany.
"I've spent my whole career, and my whole life, in England and in the Premier League, so it might take a bit of adapting to get used to a new league and playing against different teams," he added.
"As you saw with Leipzig, we've got some great teams in this league and it's going to be a real challenge. I know everyone expects Bayern Munich just to walk away and win the league every year, but the teams are improving. It's getting tougher and tougher.
"For me, it's just about settling in as comfortably as possible, understanding the different types of teams, the way I have to play and adapt. I've done that throughout my whole career, whether it's with Tottenham or with the national team and I'll do that here.
"Just one word [leant so far] - Servus [hello]. I'll have German lessons at least once or twice a week. I want to fit in as much as possible and learning the language is important.
"I want to try and embrace the culture, embrace the country so I'll be having lessons to try and pick that it up.
"We have a lot of English-speaking players and staff around the club so that helps me but I want to fit in as much as possible and the best way to do that is by understanding the language.
"I've heard it's a tough language to learn but it's something I'm willing to try."
Sky Sports' Super Sunday panel have all given their opinion on Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich. Here's what they had to say...
Roy Keane: "From a business point of view, Spurs have cashed in. It's a huge fee. Some deals suit every party and I think this is one of those deals.
"Spurs have got good money, and now this isn't going to drag on. The manager can get focused - and there's time to get another striker in.
"He's a huge loss but I'm delighted for him, I think he deserves that opportunity to go and win trophies."
Micah Richards: "We talk about Harry Kane and wanting to win trophies, but I just believe if he had waited one more year he'd have the pick of the bunch. He could go to Barca, Real Madrid, Man City and even Bayern still. I think it's come a year too soon."
Daniel Sturridge: "It's a great opportunity for him. It was a big decision but I think it's the right time for him to take a chance. Right now, the importance for him is to win trophies and add that to his resume.
"Moving forward, I would think he'll return to the Premier League to chase down that goalscoring record."
Tottenham's all-time top scorer was informed at around 3pm on Friday that his transfer to Bayern had been agreed and he could travel to Munich for his medical.
Kane's flight took off at 4.50pm UK time and landed at 6.10pm UK time at Oberpfaffenhofen airport just outside Munich.
The deal between Tottenham and Bayern for Kane will comprise an initial £86m fee, with add-ons taking the price close to £100m - which is a Bayern and Bundesliga record fee.
After Kane was told that a deal had been agreed between the clubs on Thursday, he decided to accept Bayern's offer.
Kane completed his medical and signed his Bayern contract at around 1am UK time on Saturday morning.
When Harry Kane finally left Tottenham, 4369 days had passed since his debut, every one of them without a trophy. The expectation was that he would break that cycle on day one at Bayern Munich. Instead, schadenfreude visited the new signing.
Dani Olmo's hat-trick stunned the expectant Bayern supporters inside the Allianz Arena as RB Leipzig won the Supercup - and there was nothing that Kane could do to prevent it. Two down when he came on. Three down before he had touched the ball.
When Bayern had talked of making him feel at home, this is not what Kane would have had in mind. He chased around but with little reward. Thomas Tuchel even apologised to his new signing afterwards for his team-mates' inability to find him with their passes.
Kane is accustomed to carrying the weight of a club's expectations, of course. But at Spurs he was one of their own - loved long before those expectations were placed on his shoulders. At 30, there are one hundred million reasons why he must deliver here.
Read more from Adam Bate in conversation with Mario Gomez and Phillip Lahm Here
Bayern start their Bundesliga title defence at Werder Bremen, live on Sky Sports Action on August 18 - kick-off 7.30pm.
Bayern then face a home fixture against Augsburg, live on Sky Sports Football on August 27, kick-off 4.30pm.
Bayern Munich executive board member Andreas Jung speaking exclusively to Sky Sports:
"I think it is the financial evolution of football. For us, it is the first time that we pay on that level for a player but we know that other teams who have investors, for them it is not a big issue to have a player for €100m. For us, it is something special.
"On the other hand, it shows that we are competitive with the others. We will have a team that, in every competition that we play, has the chance, the opportunity, to win that competition. Therefore, I think it is a good signing. A player like Harry Kane will, for sure, help us, in combination with the other players.
"So, everyone is now looking forward to when he is allowed to play.
"I think he is a top player. He scored the most goals at the 2018 World Cup and is every year a top scorer in England so there is no discussion about him as a football player."
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp on the Essential Football Podcast:
"I feel sorry for Ange Postecoglou because he is the person that's trying to get his team prepared for the start of the season. And you know, we're hours away from the start of the season and his star player is going to be leaving. I mean, this could have been done a couple of months ago, a month ago, to give him the best opportunity.
"It doesn't really feel that whoever's making these decisions - Daniel Levy - is thinking what's best for the team. A new manager in the door, you want to give him everything at his disposal to make sure that he's got a great chance of pushing, trying to get back into that top four.
"Yes, you might have got a little bit more money out of the deal, but that doesn't necessarily make it right for the team.
"It's a huge loss for the Spurs fans, you feel sorry for them that their hero is going to be leaving a day before the season starts. Harry Kane is irreplaceable."
