Harry Kane’s big ticket transfer to Bayern Munich from Tottenham, in the works for many days, became official on Saturday.
“It's not a goodbye because you never know how things pan out in the future,” Kane said in a video message, “but it's a thank you and I'll see you soon.”
Kane spent 19 long years at Tottenham, becoming the second highest-scoring player in Premier League history with 213 goals, 47 less than Alan Shearer.
However, a trophy eluded the striker, and to be part of winning campaigns will be his main goal in Munich. The 2019 Champions League final was the closest he came to a big trophy, but Spurs lost to Liverpool in that game.
“Obviously a lot of emotions going through me right now,” Kane said in the video, “and sad to be leaving the club I've spent nearly 20 years of my life at, from an 11-year-old boy to a 30-year-old man now.”
“I felt like this was the time to leave. I didn't want to go into the season with a lot of unresolved future talk.”
Seen as the biggest transfer of the summer, the transfer fee for Kane could reach more than 100 million pounds ($110 million). This breaks the Bundesliga transfer record. It is also a large sum for a player who next year would have been out of contract.
On Friday, Kane flew to Munich for a medical examination. He was scheduled to be unveiled to fans on Saturday at the German Super Cup, when Bayern were to take on Leipzig.
“Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I've always said that I want to compete and prove myself at the highest level during my career. This club is defined by its winning mentality — it feels very good to be here,” Kane said in a Bayern release.
Bayern president Herbert Hainer called Kane a “real asset to the entire Bundesliga.”
“We're very happy about this top-quality new arrival. The transfer required tenacity, bite and perseverance — my compliments to all those involved in these negotiations at FC Bayern,” Hainer added.
Tottenham open their season on Sunday against Brentford, but coach Ange Postecoglou said the Kane development was expected.
“We have been planning for this, it's fair to say, for a while,” he said. “This doesn't change things dramatically from my perspective anyway for what we are trying to build.”
