HARRY KANE PLEDGES FUTURE: BAYERN IS MY ONLY DESTINATION
Harry Kane commits to Bayern Munich, open to a contract extension. The striker also calls the Premier League "less fun to watch."
Harry Kane mentioned on Tuesday that he's willing to extend his Bayern Munich contract and isn't looking to jump ship.
The former Tottenham striker's contract with the Bundesliga team runs out in the summer of 2027. Lately, there have been rumours linking him to Barcelona, plus the usual talk about a potential return to the Premier League.
Kane is back in London this week as Bayern faces Arsenal in a big Champions League match. Before the game, the England captain said he’s happy in Munich.
"Moving here was one of the best things I've ever done," said the 32-year-old, who left Spurs for Bayern in 2023.
Getting to play in a new league with a team like Bayern Munich, experiencing these European nights, and feeling the vibe in the German league has been great for my career, and it's helped me get better as a player.
I’m open to staying longer. The way things are going for us, and how we’re playing, I think we’re one of the best teams in Europe, for sure.
I don't see another team and think, 'I want to go there.' I'm really happy here. I have 18 months left on my contract, and I’m sure we’ll talk about it down the road.
Kane also said the Premier League isn't as fun to watch this season because there's too much focus on set pieces, which Arsenal is known for.
Watching the Premier League isn't quite as enjoyable as it used to be, to be honest, he added.
But that's just how football changes. Sometimes it goes this way, and that's what's happening this year. Arsenal has taken advantage of it, and they’re really good at set plays.
We looked at what they do well, what their threats are, and how we can stop them. The best way to stop them is not to give away set plays.
Kane also said that scoring against Arsenal is a bit more joyful than scoring against other clubs.
He has scored 15 goals in 21 games against the Gunners, including one for Bayern at the Emirates in the first leg of their quarter-final in 2024.
Maybe that's just how it is without me realising it. "When I was with Tottenham, it was always a big game," he said.
I have a lot of friends who are Arsenal fans and a lot who are Tottenham fans. There's a certain feeling around it.
With Bayern, it's a little different because we don't play them very often. We played them a few years ago in the quarterfinal, and that was a big win for us.
For me, it might bring a little extra joy, but the main thing is still winning the game.
BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME
Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.
Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.
Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.
Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.
Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.
Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.
Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.
So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.
BAYERN MUNICH IDENTIFY ARSENAL’S KAI HAVERTZ AS TOP TARGET FOR SUMMER WINDOW
From North London to Munich? Kai Havertz emerges as the leading candidate to join Bayern’s elite Premier League-built attack.
Bayern Munich still have their eye on an Arsenal star, hoping to bring more Premier League experience up front, especially after plans with Chelsea fell apart.
Right now, Bayern are among the best teams in Europe. It really depends on how you rank PSG, but Bayern’s up there, no question. Vincent Kompany deserves a lot of credit for getting them to this level. Still, you can’t ignore their recruitment. They keep picking top-flight Premier League attackers, and it works.
With Luis Diaz, Harry Kane, and Michael Olise, Bayern’s attack is lethal. Those three have already scored 100 goals this season. Defenders in the Bundesliga just can’t cope, and you can tell their time in England’s toughest league has paid off.
Bayern have another Premier League forward in the mix right now, but he’s not sticking around.
Chelsea deal off, Bayern looking at Arsenal.
On Wednesday, Fabrizio Romano made it official that X: Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson will head back to Stamford Bridge this summer because Bayern aren’t activating his €65m buy option. Bayern’s director, Max Eberl, confirmed it, so that the backup spot behind Kane opens again when Jackson leaves.
James Benge reports that Kai Havertz’s name is coming up as a possible replacement. He said on the Inside Arsenal podcast that Bayern are definitely interested, “but nothing concrete yet.” Havertz could be the squad player who covers for Musiala and Kane.
Honestly, signing a German for Germany’s top club makes sense. Arsenal won’t just roll over, though, if Bayern come calling. Even after picking up Viktor Gyokeres last summer, Mikel Arteta still prefers Havertz up front. When Arsenal played Manchester City in their biggest game this season, Arteta benched Gyokeres and started Havertz.
Havertz has had injury issues this year. Heading into summer, he’ll still have two years left on his contract. If Bayern make a strong offer, Arsenal could think about selling.
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