Harry Kane offers hope of Premier League return with career longevity goal
- Kane ended Tottenham career to join Bayern Munich following months of speculation
- The 30-year-old hopes to play at the highest level or another seven or eight years
- Admits in interview with German publication Bild that winning trophies is immediate aim
Harry Kane admits he wants to play at the highest level of football for another seven or eight years, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski.
The 30-year-old brought the curtain down on his Premier League career, for now, by joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that could eventually be worth £95m if all performance related add-ons are met.
Kane had been closing in on Alan Shearer's Premier League goal record - he amassed 213 goals for Tottenham after breaking into the first team towards the back end of the 2013/14 season - but his desire to win trophies went unrealised in north London.
In an extensive interview with German publication Bild, Kane has now opened up on what convinced him to move to Bayern, also detailing his desire to remain at the top level for years to come - which could open the door for a Premier League return further down the line.
"I wouldn't say that, no," Kane said when asked if the chance to join Bayern was a now-or-never opportunity. "I know that when you turn 30 as a footballer, people somehow always have the end in the back of their minds. But I would like to play at the top level for another seven or eight years.
"And the example of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema or Lewandowski shows that it is absolutely possible to achieve top performances when you are a footballer. The decision for FC Bayern was not made because of time pressure, but out of conviction.
"I felt it was time for me to take the next step in my career. I wanted this experience, to fight for titles, for the Champions League," Kane continued, explaining his decision to move to Bavaria. "Playing for a club as gigantic as Bayern is an insane challenge. I was thinking less about the league and more about FC Bayern: How can I get better? Bavaria is the perfect station for me here.
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"When we met in the summer, I was immediately struck by his energy"
- Kane on meeting Tuchel
"I've always followed Bayern in the Champions League, including Bundesliga matches. As a professional, I just like to watch games by the best teams, including Bayern. I also spoke a lot with coach Thomas Tuchel beforehand: he told me which system he would like to play, what makes sense based on the type of player. Before the move, I was intensively involved with FC Bayern. Thomas also showed me exactly where he sees me, my positioning."
Kane delved deeper into the relationship he's already formed with Tuchel, detailing how their initial meetings in the Premier League had left a mark on him, and he spoke of how Bayern's star-studded front line will push him to adapt his game and become even better as a player.
"We've met a few times in the Premier League. When we met in the summer, I was immediately struck by his energy. Thomas Tuchel is bursting with ideas, he has a great personality. It's important to me to have a good relationship with the coach. The foundation for this was laid early on. Thomas speaks his mind straight to your face - and he wants you to do the same to him. The human as well as the professional just fit with both of us.
"Thomas wanted to get to know me first and told me why he wanted me at Bayern. In the same meeting, however, he went into great detail: where exactly does he see me and that I should give the team more depth, i.e. play a clearer number 9 than I often do at Tottenham. My role there was a bit different, I let myself fall behind more often.
"With players like Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman or Serge Gnabry on the outside, a team can attack quickly – that allows me to position myself lower in the centrr of the penalty area. I can adapt to that. Even the playing styles of the England national team and Tottenham were different and that was never a problem for me."
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