Dialogue remains open between Spurs and Bayern about deal for Kane but 'huge difference' remains on how much the forward is worth; SSN understands Kane has not closed any avenue and would be open to speaking to German champions; Kane met Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou on Wednesday
Friday 14 July 2023 07:38, UK
Tottenham and Bayern Munich have held talks over the signing of England captain Harry Kane, who met new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou on Wednesday.
Dialogue remains open between the clubs but no deal is agreed and a huge difference of opinion exists around the valuation of Kane.
Sky Sports News understands Kane has not closed any avenue available to him, including staying in north London, but he would be open to formally speaking with the German champions should Spurs accept an offer.
Tottenham have made it clear they do not want to sell their record scorer and certainly won't entertain the £70m figure Bayern are willing to pay.
Daniel Levy is reluctant to lose an elite goal scorer and continues to hope he'll sign a lucrative new contract, but the fact Kane, 29, has one year left on his current deal may force him to consider a significant sum.
It's the reason dialogue with Bayern remains open as fears grow Kane will join a Premier League rival next summer should he stay and run down his contract.
One thing that is clear is Tottenham will not sell to an English club in this transfer window, ruling out a move to Manchester United, with Erik Ten Haag shifting his focus to Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Kane returned to Tottenham training on Wednesday and met new head coach Postecoglou. There was not a repeat of two years ago when he was absent following attempts from Manchester City to sign him.
Postecoglou has made it clear he plans to shape a side that produces exciting, attacking football and would like Kane to be part of it.
Should he start the season in England it will give the club a chance to show him and other senior players that there can be a more positive outlook than recent years.
Bayern Munich believe Kane wants to join them and that appears to be his most likely destination if he departs in the coming weeks.
The England captain has scored 213 goals for Spurs and is the second-highest scorer in Premier League history behind Alan Shearer. He needs 48 more goals to break the record.
Kane scored an impressive 30 league goals last season in a side that finished eighth in the table.
Sky in Germany are reporting Bayern Munich have submitted a second bid for Kane worth £68m plus add-ons.
Postecoglou said at his first Tottenham news conference on Monday that he had received no guarantees about the future of his star player. "No, I haven't had any assurances [over Kane's future] and I wouldn't expect any assurances because with these kind of things you're never dealing in definites or certainties.
"I'm trying to concentrate on the things that I know right now, and what I know right now is that Harry's part of this squad. He's looking forward to coming back to training, getting among the players back in here and we start working together.
"If I spend too much time worrying about the impact that it may have either way, I'm going to miss trying to build a team because ultimately that's what's going to make us successful.
"If we build a team that plays football a certain way. I'm not going to miss this initial opportunity to lay down what I know is going to be important in the long term.
"What's important in the long term goes beyond individuals. It's more about overriding philosophy on who we want to be as a team and the key people within that."
Speaking about Wednesday's meeting with Kane, Postecoglou said: "I don't think it is my role to sit there and sort of treat people in a manner because of their circumstances. I am big on treating everyone the same.
"Harry is already part of the history of this club and I want him involved here. My conversation with him will be about how we can make this club successful and that is what he wants as well.
"I doubt it will be defining in the manner people think. I want to introduce myself to Harry, give him my vision, get an understanding from him over what his vision is and try be successful."
Chief sports features writer at the Daily Mail, Riath Al-Samarrai, speaking on Back Pages Tonight:
"I don't think anyone would take a look at Harry Kane the person and think he would agitate to get a move. Even if we look over in Paris and what's going on with Kylian Mbappe, he's giving interviews, he's talking about a divisive club - you don't see that from Kane.
"Ultimately, it's going to come down to whether or not someone makes the kind of offer Daniel Levy is going to accept.
"I don't necessarily buy the idea that Tottenham don't want to sell Kane in the summer. Frankly, it would seem illogical for them to hold onto him. Sure, you'd be taking a gamble on getting top four next season, but that's an enormous gamble.
"If they can get upwards of £80m - which I'm still convinced they can - even in the final year of his contract, he's worth north of that. Tottenham would be mad not to accept an offer in that kind of ballpark and they'd also be mad to say they'd accept an offer in that kind of ballpark.
"Of course, Postecoglou wants to sell him his vision, but if Kane has made up his mind that he wants to leave, I'm not entirely sure it matters what he gets told at this point."
Postecoglou officially started his new role as Tottenham head coach on July 1, but he's been working hard behind the scenes for nearly a month already.
Since the announcement of his appointment was made on June 6, the Australian has been planning thoroughly for what appears to be a huge job at Spurs, who face the reality of no European football for the first time since 2010.
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge analyses the key tasks ahead of Postecoglou's first season in north London.
Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
