August 14 – England captain Harry Kane says he may need time to adapt to German football and won’t panic if he isn’t scoring.
After an on-off transfer that rumbled on for weeks, Kane finally flew to Munich on Friday to complete the traditional medical where he was greeted by a scores of Bayern fans before putting pen to paper on a new four-year contract for a reported fee of £86 million.
The following day he came on as a 64th-minute substitute in a 3-0 defeat to Leipzig in the German Super Cup.
“Obviously, I’ve spent my whole career, 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,” Kane said.
Tottenham’s record goalscorer admitted it was a “tough decision” to leave his boyhood club after 19 years despite failing to win any trophies. His arrival at Bayern fills the gap left by Robert Lewandowski who departed for Barcelona a year ago.
“In my career I wanted to keep improving, pushing myself and see how far that can take me,” Kane told a press conference. “As always in my career, I never panic if I don’t (score). I try and work for the team and I think I’ve shown that my game is more than just goalscoring.”
Spurs are not in Europe this season, a crucial part of Kane’s thinking.
“I needed to be playing in the Champions League, trying to win titles every year. When I thought about it, it was a decision I wanted to make.”
“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. 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.”
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen commented: “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.”
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