Harry Kane is FC Bayern’s new super striker, but what does Uli Hoeneß say about it? The former president of FC Bayern Munich, who recently played a more active role in the club, revealed some spicy details about the transfer saga in a world interview. So the deal was apparently on the brink to the last.
In the decisive night of negotiations from August 10th to 11th, an oral agreement is said to have been reached at midnight – which, however, according to Hoeneß, “was called into question again” at 2:50 a.m. In the morning there was still a plane ready for Kane, but the transfer threatened to burst!
“Harry said that morning (Friday, editor’s note): If we don’t have a solution by the evening, I’ll play for Tottenham on Sunday,” explained Hoeneß. “Then it’s over, then I won’t sign a new contract with Tottenham and will go on a free transfer next year,” he is said to have added.
The cause of the confusion? Hoeneß quickly found a culprit: Tottenham boss Daniel Levy. The British official is considered one of the toughest negotiating partners on the European football market anyway. In Kane poker, however, he is said to have put the crown on it again.
Hoeneß: “Jan then said: Not a penny more!”
“It’s tough, but it should be done correctly. I didn’t think it was good that Levy went on holiday to Miami when his club’s most important player, the England captain, wanted to leave the club. This made the talks even more complicated,” said Hoeneß.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen had to comply with Levy’s working hours, and rounds of negotiations often took place at night in Germany. “When the transfer seemed to fail last night, I thought to myself: actually, handshake agreements should still be valid.”
But the verbal agreements in every respect seemed to be invalid at times, Levy would have used “old tricks” to “take it one step further”.
However, FC Bayern responded with the necessary severity: “Jan then said: not a penny anymore! It took six hours for Levy to accept,” said Hoeneß, describing the previously secret processes.
Then the breakthrough! Kane was able to make his way to Munich and celebrate his 26-minute debut in Bayern dress on the day the contract was signed. But how many euros – or pennies – did the final transfer fee for the England striker include?
That’s how much Kane really cost
“The real cash amount that we are now guaranteed to have to pay is less than one hundred million. But if, for example, we become German champions or win the Champions League, it can still rise,” confirmed Hoeneß.
The 1974 world champion is concerned that one could move beyond the 100 million mark – Hoeneß himself once said that no player was worth 100 million euros, and even spoke of “completely gaga” on the subject. And yet there was only one direction at FC Bayern: “For us it was: Harry Kane, Harry Kane, Harry Kane. That was the clear priority.”
According to Hoeneß, only Randal Kolo Muani would have been seriously considered as an alternative, but Kane convinced the top floor of the German record champions – not only in terms of sport.
“He had given us his word, although the situation was difficult for him: his wife was heavily pregnant, had never lived abroad, the time pressure …” said Hoeneß.
“It was clear: you’ll never get over the Levy – Harry was crucial for us. And Harry kept everything he promised us. If he had only wobbled once, we would never have made it. Those are qualities that I like.”
FC Bayern: Kane as a jersey record holder
And not only on a personal level would the 30-year-old advance FC Bayern, the merchandising income alone on the first “Kane weekend” was horrendously high.
“Some 50,000 Kane jerseys were sold in a week, almost 15,000 on the first day after his signing. In combination with the presentation of our new Champions League jersey, more was implemented than ever before in just one day,” said Hoeneß.
The transfer seems to have already paid off emotionally, and from Bayern’s point of view, the bare numbers should follow suit. Hoeneß has little doubt about that. Although he has not yet invited Kane to his home, he would like to show him the beauty of Bavaria outside of Munich in the future.
Because “you can buy a good footballer – or a good footballer with charisma, who will take FC Bayern forward all over the world.” And for “his” FC Bayern, Uli Hoeneß would probably also be the tourist guide for the Kane family at Tegernsee.
2023-08-25 20:16:41
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