Harry Kane has admitted it may take him time to adapt to German football after completing his “roller-coaster” move to Bayern Munich.
The England captain left Premier League Tottenham Hotspur after 19 years in North London in a deal reported to be worth around €100 million.
Kane notched 280 goals in 435 games for Spurs and is also England's all-time leading goalscorer with 58 strikes in 84 caps but his first game for his new club ended in defeat.
The 30-year-old came on as a 64th-minute substitute in a 3-0 defeat to Leipzig in the German Super Cup on Saturday after being confirmed as a Bayern player earlier in the day.
“Obviously, I've spent my whole career, my whole life, in England and in the Premier League so it might take a bit of adapting to get used to a new league,” he said after being unveiled before the press on Sunday.
“For me it's just about settling in, as comfortable as possible, understanding the different types of teams, the way I have to play and adapt. I've done that throughout my whole career, whether it's with Tottenham or the national team and I'll do that here.”
It was a race against time for Kane to be registered in time to play after his flight to Germany and subsequent medical was delayed after Spurs went back to the negotiating table at the last minute.
The deal eventually got done, though Kane admits he was left sweating for a while. “It was obviously a busy couple of days, a busy week, this is my first transfer that have been involved in, it was an up-and-down experience for sure, but I am happy to be here now,” he said.
“I wish Tottenham all the best, I wish [Spurs chairman] Daniel Levy all the best, but my focus is here now and trying to help this team and I am just happy we managed to do it and am excited to get started.
-
Harry Kane in action during his Bayern Munich debut in the German Super Cup against RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on August 12, 2023. Reuters -
Harry Kane reacts during the German Super Cup match Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig. AFP -
Harry Kane in action during the German Super Cup. PA -
RB Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich clutches the ball in front of Harry Kane and Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan. AFP -
Harry Kane talks to Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt after the German Super Cup. AFP -
Harry Kane, centre, looks on from the substitutes' bench. Reuters -
Harry Kane following Bayern Munich's defeat to RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup. Getty -
Harry Kane after Bayern's defeat to Leipzig in the German Super Cup. Reuters -
Harry Kane applauds the crowd after the German Super Cup. Reuters -
Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane is exchanged by Bayern Munich's German head coach Thomas Tuchel during the German Super Cup football match Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig in Munich, on August 12, 2023. (Photo by CHRISTOF STACHE / AFP) / DFB REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND QUASI-VIDEO. -
Harry Kane runs on to the pitch to make his Bayern Munich debut. AFP -
Harry Kane on the ball during the German Super Cup. Reuters -
Harry Kane warms up during the German Super Cup match between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig. EPA -
Harry Kane shakes hands with supporters ahead of the German Super Cup. PA -
Harry Kane warms up with his Bayern teammates before the German Super Cup. EPA -
Harry Kane waves to the crowd during the warm-up before the German Super Cup. PA
“Talks have been continuing for a couple of months and I always said if there was a deal that suited all three parties then we could do it.
“Going into the last year of my contract I didn’t want it to be a distraction for the new manager and team at Tottenham. I was excited to come.
“The last 48 hours of the deal was pretty up and down, a bit of a roller- coaster, but I was just really happy when we got over the line.
“Two days ago I was sitting in London and we didn’t know how it was going to go.”
Bayern are next in action in the opening game of the Bundesliga season against Werder Bremen on Friday. Kane said he will work on his link-up play with his new teammates and indicated that his time at Bayern should not be considered solely in terms of goals scored.
“It’s part of the reason I joined this club because they’ve got amazing talent and now I feel like if we can get a good connection, then of course I will score goals,” he said.
“But as always in my career, you know, I never panic if I don’t. I give my all every game. I try to work for the team and I think I’ve shown that my game is more than just goalscoring and trying to link up play and help with assists and build-up. So that’s what I’ll try to do starting on Friday.”
