Manchester United and Barcelona have suffered a blow in pursuit of Harry Kane, as he has reached an agreement on a new deal with Bayern Munich.
Harry Kane has agreed to sign a new contract with Bayern Munich in principle, according to a report by TEAMtalk, dealing a major blow to Barcelona and Manchester United, who had been interested in signing the England captain.
Kane is fully committed to extending his stay in Germany after reaching an agreement in principle on a new two-and-a-half-year deal. The 33-year-old Englishman has been in talks with Bayern Munich throughout the year, with his brother and agent Charlie Kane assessing his options.
Why were Barcelona and Manchester United interested in Kane?
Barcelona were keen on signing Kane next summer as a free agent. If Bayern Munich had failed to agree a new deal by January, the reigning La Liga champions could have tried to reach a pre-contract agreement with the striker. That option is now off the table, with the former Tottenham star choosing to remain in Munich.
Manchester United have long admired Kane, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe previously confirming his interest in bringing the striker to Old Trafford. The Red Devils could have viewed Kane as an ideal short-term solution to their attacking problems, while Benjamin Sesko continues to develop as a long-term option.
A two or three-year spell from Kane could potentially have given Sesko time to mature before eventually taking over as United’s centre-forward. Barcelona, meanwhile, need to fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski, and Kane would have been perfect. The Englishman’s link-play style would have complemented Hansi Flick’s high-pressing system, giving the Catalan giants another attacking dimension.
Both clubs must now look elsewhere. Kane’s decision is understandable given his success since leaving Tottenham. He has quickly established himself as one of Bayern Munich’s most important players and recently became the fastest player to reach 100 Bundesliga goals, achieving the milestone in just 98 appearances.
The Bundesliga champions have remained confident throughout the negotiations that Kane would stay, and the agreement now vindicates that belief. Barring a late change, the England captain will continue his career in Munich.
