Bayern Munich have put in a €70 million (£60m) bid for Manchester United target Harry Kane, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
United had looked firm favourites to sign the Tottenham man, who has one year left on his contract at White Hart Lane.
But despite earlier reports that Kane wanted the Old Trafford move, it was always going to be a difficult negotiation with Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy, who is loath to sell any of his players to a top four rival.
United were reported to have admitted defeat several days ago and have since turned their attentions to other targets, including Randal Kolo Muani and Rasmus Hojlund.
Enter Bayern, who have been shopping themselves for a replacement to Robert Lewandowski, who left for Barcelona last summer.
And with Kane yesterday offering encouraging noises to the Bavarian club, the ultra-reliable Ornstein says negotiations are underway with a modest £60m bid.
Ornstein says “Bayern, under the stewardship of former Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel, are in the market for a new forward this summer with Kane high on their list of priorities.”
If Bayern’s bid – or close to it – is accepted, it will be a kick in the teeth for United, who were believed to be ready to bid in excess of £80 million for Kane, were to miss out to a club offering significantly less.
It also seems like a strange move for the player, who many believed wanted a Premier League switch as he chased Alan Shearer’s all-time scoring record.
Kane is also reported to want to move from Spurs to win silverware, which he almost certainly will at Bayern, but it seems surprising that a Bundesliga winner’s medal would be exactly what he had in mind.
Whether United will come back in for Kane at this stage remains to be seen.
If they did, and their offer was significantly higher than Bayerns, it could tempt Levy to do the unthinkable, but as things stand, that outcome seems unlikely.