“Love at first sight”
How Harry Kane wins FC Bayern for himself
December 27, 2023, 6:36 p.m
Harry Kane has now left the hotel in Munich and FC Bayern’s new superstar is reunited with his family. The English striker has long since arrived at the Bundesliga champions. The first half of the year should only be the beginning of something much bigger.
Harry Kane has never had such a relaxed turn of the year as a professional footballer. No football at Christmas, no league game at New Year’s – the 30-year-old FC Bayern Munich striker can instead enjoy a few days of vacation in the warmth with his wife Katie and their four children. After his last appearance with a dream goal in the 2-1 win in Wolfsburg, Kane mischievously announced: “I’ll send all my friends in England a picture of me on the beach when they play. It’ll definitely be fun.” Winter break, Kane did not have this privilege in England.
The top striker has every reason to end the year in a good mood. Kane has made an immediate impact in the Bundesliga after his complicated move from his long-term club Tottenham Hotspur to FC Bayern. Not just because of his 21 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances. Kane is the new football king in this country.
The German record champions’ record investment of around 100 million euros in transfer fees and salary costs of a similar amount for the four agreed contract years has been paying for Kane since the hype surrounding his arrival with a private jet at the airport in Oberpfaffenhofen on August 11th with goals, personality and as more valuable Fan magnet back.
Kane’s jersey is a bestseller, even in the Christmas season. A Bayern professional has never sold over 100,000 shirts in one season. The Munich transfer task force led by CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and the old movers and shakers Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge went “all in” with Kane in the summer. For the former CEO Rummenigge it was a calculable risk. “I was sure from the start that it would be a good fit. With Harry and the Bundesliga, it was probably love at first sight,” said the 68-year-old.
“We are happy that Harry is in the spotlight like this”
The misjudgment that, after Robert Lewandowski’s move to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, the high goals could be achieved without the classic nine has been corrected. “We are extremely happy with Harry. And we were convinced from the start that we needed this type of player in order to be at the top in this position again. Because the 40 to 50 competitive goals that Robert Lewandowski had guaranteed us were something the other players were able to achieve “Unfortunately, we can’t compensate,” said supervisor Rummenigge, explaining the Kane offensive.
The new super nine has convinced everyone, bosses, coaches, teammates and fans. “He integrated very quickly into our dressing room and into the team,” said captain Manuel Neuer. Dreesen calls Kane “a sports star and gentleman who is good for FC Bayern.” Nevertheless, the successful Kane deal will not mean that “100 million transfers are the new agenda” for the Bundesliga croissants, as the Bayern boss noted.
You can only hear enthusiasm from coach Thomas Tuchel when he is asked about Kane: “With Harry it is the whole package. He is a top personality, an absolute leader. He has delivered a top performance in this six months. We “We have decided to bring the captain of the England national team to Germany with all our might. We are happy that Harry is in the spotlight.”
Kane is a complete hit. Always plays, always scores, never injured. When Tuchel exceptionally gave him a break in the DFB Cup, the Munich team were eliminated in the second round. Kane himself is convinced that he was right to dare to try something completely new after 213 goals in 320 Premier League games. Munich is Kane’s first stop abroad. “When I left England in August, I didn’t know what to expect,” the 30-year-old recently remarked. After five months he says: “I love every minute.” A total of 25 goals and 8 assists in 21 competitive games are in the statistics.
The goal is to return to London
Kane has big plans for 2024. His family will then be with him permanently; a suitable house has finally been found. For the first few months, Harry Edward Kane lived alone in the hotel. When he moved out, he posted a photo on social media with a “big thank you” that showed him with numerous hotel employees next to a Christmas tree.
When training starts again on January 2nd, Kane’s hunt for titles and records will begin again. Many believe he can even surpass Lewandowski’s league record of 41 goals. Kane is on course. “I think it’s still too early to speculate about the season’s best marks,” remarked Rummenigge: “What impresses me most about Harry is his team-friendly style of play. He goes every meter, he’s not above running. And that also pulls the others along. The goals are just part of his quality.”
They are also said to help satisfy a longing. Kane finally wants to hold the Champions League trophy in his hands. Especially since the final will take place on June 1, 2024 in his home country of London. “That’s the goal,” confirmed Kane after Bayern’s march through the group stage. He contributed four goals. And a lot of hopes rest on them when the decisive phase in Europe begins in February in the round of 16 against Lazio Rome.
Rummenigge also relies on the Kane factor, but points out the special nature of the competition: “As far as the Champions League final is concerned, it’s a bit like Christmas: I also wish for a ‘White Christmas’ every year, but Unfortunately, my wish hasn’t been fulfilled so often in recent years. Of course, our fans always dream of taking part in the final, especially since we have very good memories of Wembley Stadium. Now with the knockout phase it’s possible The Champions League is just getting started.” Kane was in the final in 2019, but he lost it with Tottenham against Liverpool.