Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been tipped to reject a return to Tottenham Hotspur, while Paul Merson reckons Arsenal “will buy him”.
The England international left boyhood club Spurs to join Bayern Munich during the 2023 summer transfer window for around £86m.
Kane departed Tottenham to give himself a better chance of winning team trophies and he’s on track to lift the Bundesliga this term after Bayern Munich missed out on the title last season.
Despite this, the 31-year-old has consistently been linked with a return to the Premier League over the past couple of months and it’s emerged that there is a ‘secret clause agreement’ in his Bayern Munich contract.
This enabled him to leave for around £66m in January or around £54m during the 2026 winter transfer window.
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Tottenham – according to The Telegraph – have a ‘first option agreement’ with Bayern Munich, but this depends on two conditions.
‘Telegraph Sport understands that there is a release clause in Kane’s Bayern contract, even though he is said to be extremely happy in Germany and has no thoughts of activating it any time soon. Premier League clubs are already aware of the existence of Kane’s release clause, which could be crucial to a potential return to England.
‘Kane moved to Bayern on a four-year contract for £100m in August 2023, with Tottenham also securing a first option agreement as part of the transfer. That would only be applicable should Bayern agree to sell Kane and the striker wanted to return to Spurs, where he spent 13 years and became the club’s all-time highest scorer.
‘There is no fixed fee in Tottenham’s first-option agreement, meaning the club would still have to trigger his release clause or negotiate a price with Bayern for Kane.
‘Should a rival club ever trigger his Bayern release clause, Tottenham would have to decide whether or not to match the bid and hope the 31-year-old preferred a return to North London.’
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Arsenal are known to be in the market for a striker. Merson has explained why his former club could sign Kane and why he may reject a return to Spurs.
“Arsenal will buy him,” Merson lightheartedly said on Sky Sports.
When asked whether he was serious, he added: “Why not? £64m, why not? Sol Campbell did [make the move].
“People will go ‘Oh he’s this age and that age’ but Arsenal need now.”
He continued: “If Arsenal haven’t won the League, you’ve got to take a chance. You’ve got to take a chance, buy someone that’s proven.
“I wouldn’t be surprised, and when you’re Harry Kane and you’ve been told you can go for £64m, there’s only a couple of teams who could buy him.
“Maybe Tottenham will buy him back but he’ll have to win something at Bayern Munich to go back to Tottenham. If you’ve not won anything at Bayern Munich, you’re not going back to Tottenham to win nothing.”