Harry Kane pursued a transfer to Manchester City during the summer of 2021 before eventually joining Bayern Munich two years later, according to revelations from former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Kyle Walker and subsequent disclosures by former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. The England captain sought a move away as he chased his first major team silverware, prompting inquiries that ultimately stalled over club valuations and Tottenham’s resistance.
At the time, Kane remained under contract at Tottenham, where years of prolific goalscoring had yielded individual accolades but no team trophies. “He was damals an dem Punkt in seiner Karriere, an dem er unbedingt Titel holen wollte“, Walker recounted of the striker’s mindset during an appearance on TalkSPORT, noting that the lack of team honours remained a glaring omission on an otherwise stellar CV. Seeking a resolution, Kane consulted Walker directly while both represented the England national team, asking about life under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. “Er sagte: ‘Ich will zu euch’. Und er hat mich ein wenig ausgefragt”, Walker explained, before adding that the clubs failed to reach a financial agreement.
Tottenham Rejected Four Manchester City Bids for Kane
The pursuit in 2021 saw Manchester City test Tottenham’s resolve with four separate transfer bids, all of which were publicly acknowledged by manager Pep Guardiola as having been firmly rejected by the London club. Tottenham held firm on its valuation, leaving Kane in place for another two seasons. During that period, Kane continued to shoulder the goalscoring burden for Spurs before breaking the club’s all-time scoring record with 280 goals across all competitions, as detailed in reports.
With a Premier League move blocked, the striker’s search for silverware shifted continents in the summer of 2023. At age 30, Kane completed a 95 million euro transfer to Bayern Munich on August 12, 2023, stepping into the Bundesliga with immediate impact. In his debut 2023–24 campaign, he netted 36 goals in 32 league appearances to claim the Torjägerkanone, securing his status as the league’s premier marksman—a feat he repeated in successive seasons.
Erik Ten Hag Targeted Kane for Manchester United
Manchester City was not the only English giant trying to secure the forward prior to his German switch. In an extensive interview with The Athletic, former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag revealed that Kane was his primary target to transform United’s attack in the summer of 2023. “Ich habe ihnen gesagt: ‚Ich will nur einen einzigen Spieler, und ihr wisst, wen ich meine‘”, ten Hag said regarding his internal demands to the club hierarchy, expressing conviction that Kane’s personality and leadership were precisely what United required to build a winning culture.
While reports indicated that Kane was open to considering the Old Trafford switch, United’s leadership ultimately balked at the financial structure required to land the England captain. Ten Hag distanced himself from the administrative negotiations, stating, “Ich habe keinen Einblick in die Finanzen.” The failure to secure the striker contributed to what the Dutch coach later described as structural shortcomings in his squad during a turbulent tenure that ended in October 2024, according to reporting by Gazeta Express.
Trophy Success in Munich and Individual Recognition
The move to Bavaria finally brought the team success that had eluded Kane throughout his career in England. After missing out on silverware in his first campaign in Germany, Kane helped guide Bayern Munich to consecutive Bundesliga titles in the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons, alongside a DFB-Pokal triumph. His club form translated directly onto the European stage, highlighted by his 100th Bundesliga appearance during a 6-1 victory over RB Leipzig in which he scored his 102nd league goal, as noted by FCBinside.
Kane’s sustained excellence has positioned him among the leading contenders for world football’s highest individual honour. As SPOX.com noted, his prolific output in Munich and consistent leadership for both club and country make him a top favourite for the Ballon d’Or, set to be presented in London.
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