Bayern Munich Faces Tough Challenge Against Surging Stuttgart

Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane has 18 goals in 13 games this season. AFP

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The reigning Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, are set to rebound from last weekend's defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt as they host surprise title contenders Stuttgart on Sunday. The clash at the Allianz Arena will showcase a battle between two prolific strikers, Bayern's Harry Kane and Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy.

Following their 5-1 loss to Frankfurt, Thomas Tuchel's Bayern is now four points behind early leaders Bayer Leverkusen, albeit with a game in hand. Stuttgart, just one point adrift, aims to surpass Bayern in the table and continue their surprising title challenge.

Harry Kane, a summer signing from Tottenham, has been exceptional for Bayern, scoring 18 goals in 13 league matches. On the other side, Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy has netted 16 goals in 12 Bundesliga appearances, marking his best tally for a single season.

Guirassy's impressive goal-scoring form has played a pivotal role in Stuttgart's remarkable turnaround under coach Sebastian Hoeness. The team, previously facing relegation, now sits third in the Bundesliga and poses a serious challenge to the giants like Bayern.

Hoeness, the nephew of former Bayern president Uli Hoeness, took charge of Stuttgart in April, leading them to the German Cup semi-finals and securing their top-flight status through a relegation playoff victory over Hamburg.

Bayern's recent 5-1 defeat was a setback, but they managed to bounce back with a 1-0 Champions League win against Manchester United. However, they face injury concerns, with Kingsley Coman joining Serge Gnabry and Noussair Mazraoui on the sidelines.

Stuttgart, unbeaten against Leverkusen this season, poses a serious threat to Bayern's title aspirations. The match is anticipated to be a challenging encounter, with Bayern acknowledging Stuttgart as a formidable opponent.

In other fixtures this weekend, Bayer Leverkusen takes on Eintracht Frankfurt, while Borussia Dortmund faces Augsburg, and RB Leipzig hosts Hoffenheim on Saturday.

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Bayern Munich move fuelled by silverware chase, Harry Kane

Harry Kane Bayern Munich

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Harry Kane has opted to leave Tottenham in search of silverware with Bayern Munich, likely forgoing the chance to achieve Premier League immortality.

Kane has scored 213 Premier League goals, behind only Alan Shearer's 260, and was a near certainty to overtake the Newcastle great if he had stayed in England.

The 30-year-old striker moved ahead of Jimmy Greaves as Tottenham's record scorer last season and also supplanted Wayne Rooney at the top of England's all-time goal list.

But despite his impressive personal milestones, Kane has not won a single trophy with club or country, losing in the 2019 Champions League final and tasting bitter defeat in the final of the delayed Euro 2020.

At German champions Bayern he is almost certain to rectify that, joining a club who are serial winners, domestically and in Europe.

The clean-cut Kane, married to his childhood sweetheart, often feels like a throwback to a different era in the frantic circus that is the English top-flight.

He has been remarkably consistent, passing the 20-goal mark in the Premier league six times and winning the Golden Boot on three occasions.

Kane describes his predatory instincts in front of goal as "natural", adding: "When that ball drops to me my body takes over and my mind is just blank really."

The striker, who joined Tottenham's academy in 2009, struggled to make an impression early in his professional career and many doubted he would ever make it at the highest level.

Even after his breakthrough season in 2014/15, he was dubbed a "one-season wonder", an accusation that has proved laughably wide of the mark.

There were almost two years between Kane's first Spurs goal against Shamrock Rovers in 2011 and his next, against Hull in 2013.

A loan move to second tier Millwall provided a tantalising glimpse of his potential, but the lowest point of his learning curve came during difficult loan spells at Leicester and Norwich in the 2012/13 season.

- Barrage of goals -

Kane failed to score for Norwich and struck just twice for second tier Leicester.

"That was the lowest time. I was 19, living away from home and not playing," he said. "You always have that doubt. If you're not playing there then how are you ever going to play for Tottenham?"

Despite his struggles, Kane later said dealing with the aggressive physical approach of Championship opponents was an important step in his transformation into one of the world's best strikers.

"That happened a lot when I was on loan. One defender said, 'I haven't got a yellow card yet, I'm gonna use it on you'," Kane said.

"The funny thing was that two minutes later we both went up for a header and he ended up winded on the floor. So that made me pretty happy."

Suitably impressed by Kane's drive, Mauricio Pochettino, then in the early days of his successful spell as Tottenham boss, trusted his potential enough to select him regularly in the 2014/15 season.

Kane repaid Pochettino's gamble with a barrage of goals that quickly gained him international recognition.

He scored just seconds into his England debut as a substitute against Lithuania in 2015.

Kane failed to score at Euro 2016 as Roy Hodgson's men crashed out to Iceland in the last 16, but England outstripped expectations at the World Cup in Russia two years later, where Kane became into a global star.

Handed the captaincy by Gareth Southgate, he scored six goals to win the Golden Boot and lead England to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years.

Southgate's side came even closer at the European Championship in 2021, where only defeat on penalties to Italy denied them a first major trophy since 1966.

More disappointment followed for Kane and country at last year's World Cup in Qatar.

Normally so reliant from the penalty spot, he fired a vital spot-kick high over the bar in a quarter-final defeat by France.

But he now has the chance to end his trophy drought with German giants Bayern and will hope international glory follows.

Bayern reach deal with Spurs to sign Kane: reports

(FILES) Tottenham Hotspur's English striker Harry Kane applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on May 20, 2023. Photo: AFP

AFP , Thursday 10 Aug 2023

Bayern Munich have reached an agreement to sign England captain Harry Kane from Tottenham, for a Bundesliga record fee of over 100 million euros ($110 million), reports said Thursday.

Talks between the two clubs had been ongoing for several weeks, as Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy pushed for a higher fee, aware that Kane could leave on a free at the end of his deal in 2024.

Bayern have reportedly submitted their final bid for the 30-year-old striker, breaking through the 100-million-euro barrier for the first time.

The Athletic reported the deal between the two clubs first, and was followed by Sky Sports and several other British and German media.

Six-time European champions Bayern have been historically more reluctant to spend big on transfer fees than many of their European rivals.

The reported figure of over 100 million euros well exceeds their club record transfer outlay of 80 million euros paid in 2019 for French defender Lucas Hernandez. Hernandez left Bayern for Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 for 45 million euros.

Bayern had been on the lookout for a striker since the departure of star forward Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Bayern won the Bundesliga in each of the Pole's eight seasons in Munich, with Lewandowski scoring 344 goals in 375 appearances.

The Bavarians struggled in Lewandowski's absence last season.

During his eight years in Munich, Lewandowski averaged 30 goals per season. In 2022-23, not one Bayern player hit the 15 league goal mark.

They were eliminated by eventual winners Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and won the Bundesliga title on goal difference after a final-day capitulation from Borussia Dortmund.

Kane has scored more than 20 league goals in all but three of the past nine Premier League seasons, winning the golden boot on three occasions.

Despite finishing second in last season's Premier League scoring charts behind Erling Haaland (36), Kane netted 30 league goals in 2022-23, equalling his best mark.

Bayern sign defender Kim Min-jae from Napoli

Napoli s South Korean defender Min-jae Kim clears a ball during the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals first leg football match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli on April 12, 2023 at the San Siro stadium in Milan. South Korean Min-jae Kim, Italian champion with Napoli and named Serie A s best defender last season, has signed a five-season contract until summer 2028 with Bayern Munich, the Bavarian club announced on July 18, 2023. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)

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Bayern Munich on Tuesday signed South Korean defender Kim Min-jae from Italian champions Napoli.

Bayern said the 26-year-old was joining on a five-year contract but did not give the transfer fee.

Kim joined Napoli last summer and anchored the defence as they won Serie A.

"It's a new beginning for me," Kim told the Bayern website. "My first goal is to play a lot of games. In addition, I want to win as many trophies as possible."

He also posted a farewell to Napoli, and departing coach Luciano Spalletti, on Instagram.

"To my passionate club Napoli, Mister Spalletti, my team mates, and above all to Napoli fans, I would like to express my gratitude."

Kim has 49 international caps and played in China and then for Fenerbahce in Turkey before joining Napoli.

"He impresses with his physical presence, as well as his mentality and speed," said Jan-Christian Dreesen, the Bayern CEO.

Bayern also unveiled Austrian Christoph Freund as sporting director.

Freund, 46, will join at the end of the summer transfer window from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg where he spent eight years.

He replaces Hasan Salihamidzic, the club's former player who was sacked in May along with former chairman Oliver Kahn after a relatively disappointing season for Bayern.

Salihamidzic and Kahn took the gamble of parting company with coach Julian Nagelsmann at the end of March, a gamble that did not entirely work.

The club won the Bundesliga as Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the last day of the season but went out in the quarter-finals of both the Champions League and German Cup.

Kane included in Spurs' pre-season squad as Lloris left out

England captain Harry Kane's time at Tottenham Hotspur could be at an end as Bild reported he has agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich. Photo: AFP

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Harry Kane has been included in Tottenham Hotspur's squad for their pre-season Asia-Pacific tour, but club captain Hugo Lloris has been left out as the France goalkeeper seeks to complete a move to a new club.

England captain Kane is in the final 12 months of his contract with at north London side Spurs but is said to have attracted interest from German giants Bayern Munich amid reports their initial 70-million-euro (£60-million, $76-million) bid for the forward was rejected by the Tottenham hierarchy.

Kane, along with other international players, returned for pre-season training on Wednesday, when new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was set to outline his vision to the club's leading scorer.

Spurs said Friday that veteran goalkeeper Lloris had been granted permission not to travel "in order to explore prospective transfer opportunities".

At the age of 36, the former France No 1 has been linked with a move to Inter Milan should Andre Onana join Manchester United.

Lloris, who joined Tottenham in 2012, has made 447 appearances for the club and also won the 2018 World Cup with France.

Tottenham will fly to Perth, Western Australia, with their squad including new signing James Maddison following the England midfielder's £40 million move from Leicester, ahead of an opening friendly against top-flight London rivals West Ham on July 18.

Spurs play Leicester in Thailand on July 23 and the Lion City Sailors of Singapore on July 26.

After Bayern Munich links, Kane will hold talks with new Spurs boss Postecoglou

England's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Euro 2024 group C qualifying soccer match between England and North Macedonia at Old Trafford in Manchester, Monday, June 19, 2023. Photo: AP

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After links to Bayern Munich, Harry Kane returns to work at Tottenham this week for pre-season training.

The uncertainty around the England captain’s future at Spurs, however, is not going away.

New Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou held his first news conference on Monday since joining from Celtic and was immediately asked about Kane, who enters the final year of his contract at the London club.

“I haven’t had any assurances (about his future) and I wouldn’t expect any assurances,” the Australian manager said. “He’s one of the premier strikers in the world and I want him involved.”

Postecoglou, known for being a blunt speaker, plans to hold a meeting with Kane this week.

“My conversation with him will be about how we can make this club successful and I’ve got no doubts that’s what he wants as well,” Postecoglou said. “What I want is to introduce myself to Harry and give him my vision of the football club and get a sense from him on what he thinks the club needs to do to be successful, and walk out on that training pitch and try to make it happen.”

Tottenham wants to tie the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer to a new long-term contract.

Bayern, however, may test that resolve, having reportedly made two bids, with the latest one valued at 68.5 million pounds ($88 million).

The question is whether that will tempt others to the table.

Manchester United has long been linked with Kane, and wants to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo this offseason.

Real Madrid needs to replace the departed Karim Benzema and has also been mentioned in connection with Kane.

Then there is Paris Saint-Germain, which is intent on selling Kylian Mbappe unless its World Cup-winning forward signs a new contract.

That means four of European soccer’s biggest clubs are potentially in the market for a top-class center forward this summer.

It has been claimed that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s preference would be to sell abroad if he was to sell at all. The theory goes he would even be prepared to accept a smaller transfer fee, rather than see a club great playing for another English team.

That would take United out of the running. And while manager Erik ten Hag is an admirer of England’s all-time leading scorer, there is a growing expectation that he will look elsewhere.

Madrid is likely to be leading the chase for Mbappe, having tried to sign him in 2021. But the France international has said he plans to see out the final year of his contract. PSG’s transfer strategy is heavily dependent on Mbappe’s movement or non-movement.

Bayern has acted quickest but, even in the final year of Kane’s contract, a bid of $88 million looks low. Levy has gained a fierce reputation for his negotiating skills and managed to keep Kane away from the clutches of Manchester City two years ago.

Tottenham’s bargaining position is weaker now as it risks losing one of the finest strikers in history for nothing.

In a year, Kane will likely be able to take his pick of any of Europe’s leading clubs. If he stays in England he would have the chance to fulfil his ambition of surpassing Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 Premier League goals.

While Levy might not want to be the man who sold Kane, the prospect of losing him for nothing would surely be worse.

That is why interest from Bayern may be more tempting than Tottenham is ready to admit — especially if it draws out other bidders and ultimately drives up his price.

In an ideal world for Levy and Tottenham fans, the meeting with Postecoglou this week will convince Kane he can achieve his ambitions of winning silverware right where he is. That despite the London club having had five managers in the last four years and failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, success is within reach.

“I am the kind of guy who loves a challenge. I love a build, I love a rebuild. That is where I feel I am at my best,” Postecoglou said. “Now my goal is to try and make some special moments here and create something special for this great football club as well.”

PSG sign France defender Lucas Hernandez from Bayern Munich

Lucas Hernandez

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Paris Saint-Germain said Sunday it has signed France defender Lucas Hernandez from Bayern Munich on a five-year contract after a long spell on the sidelines with injury.

Hernández hasn’t played a competitive game since injuring his knee while playing for France against Australia at the World Cup in November.

“I’m really excited! I’ve been waiting to join PSG for a long time, and it’s finally happened. It’s a very special day for me and I’m very happy to be here,” Hernandez said in a statement from PSG.

Hernandez won the Bundesliga title in each of his four seasons at Bayern and the Champions League in 2020, though he was an unused substitute when Bayern beat PSG 1-0 in the final.

“We would like to thank Lucas Hernandez for four very successful years together. He always gave everything, we were always impressed by his fighting spirit and his passion. FC Bayern wishes him all the best for the future,” said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.

Bayern Munich have deal with Kane but Spurs reject bid: Report

England s striker Harry Kane applauds fans on the pitch after the UEFA Euro 2024 group C qualification football match between England and North Macedonia at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on June 19, 2023. AFP 

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Bayern Munich have agreed personal terms with England captain Harry Kane, German daily Bild reported Wednesday, but an initial 70-million-euro (£60-million, $76-million) bid was rejected by Tottenham Hotspur.

The German champions are said to be intent on securing the signing of England's record scorer, whose contract with Spurs runs out in 2024.

Kane's camp is believed to have approved the move, but Bayern need an agreement on a transfer fee with Tottenham to seal the transfer.

Bayern submitted an offer of 70 million euros plus add-ons for Kane, according to Bild, while Spurs are demanding at least 100 million euros to part with their talismanic striker.

Other top European clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United are also said to covet Kane, who could look to move away from Tottenham in pursuit of silverware.

Kane thought he had sealed a £127 million move to Manchester City prior to the 2021/22 campaign only for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to turn it down -- despite the striker claiming they had a gentleman's agreement permitting him to move on.

However, with Kane turning 30 in July he sees time running out on his career to finally lift a trophy.

Bayern are after a top-class striker to fill the hole left by Robert Lewandowski, who joined Spanish champions Barcelona in 2022.

The German club claimed their eleventh Bundesliga title in a row last season but limped over the line at the end of a disappointing campaign.

Early exits from the Champions League and the domestic cup fell short of the goals the team set themselves, with senior club execs Hasan Salihamidzic and Oliver Kahn being told to move on at the end of the season.

Kane, who scored 30 goals for Spurs in the Premier League last season, is out of contract in 2024 and could be available on a free transfer thereafter.

Resolving Kane's future is at the top of the agenda for Levy and new manager Ange Postecoglou, according to Bild.

Bayern to repay 245,000 for breaking minimum wage rules

Bayern Munich's men's and women's teams celebrate winning their respective Bundesliga titles at the end of the 2022-23 season. Photo: AFP

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Bayern Munich have been forced to repay around 200,000 euros ($216,560) for failing to meet minimum wage requirements over a five-year period, Bavarian customs authorities announced on Thursday.

The club must also pay approximately 45,000 euros ($48,700) in unpaid social security contributions.

The investigation found Bayern underpaid employees from 2016 to 2021.

The Munich customs office issued a statement on Thursday saying Bayern had employed workers, mostly in the club's youth training centre, on limited hours contracts, but "the actual level of employment was far higher."

"The club did not pay the minimum wage at the youth training centre it operates" the office said in a statement.

In a press release on Thursday, Bayern apologised for the incident, saying "it was never FC Bayern Munich's intention to withhold employees from their legitimate wages."

Bayern said it has cooperated fully with the investigation and has taken steps to ensure similar incidents cannot happen again.

"The club has cooperated with the process and the procedure is now closed" Munich customs spokesman Thomas Meister told German news service SID, an AFP subsidiary.

With annual turnover in excess of 650 million euros ($700 million), Bayern is the largest sports club in Germany and the third highest-earning football club in the world, after Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Bayern Munich's men's team won their 11th straight Bundesliga title in 2022-23, alongside their female counterparts, who have won two of the past three Frauen Bundesliga titles.

Bayern Munich signs Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer on free transfer

Leipzig s Konrad Laimer celebrates after scoring his side s opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Saturday, May 20, 2023. AP

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German champion Bayern Munich signed midfielder Konrad Laimer on a free transfer Friday as his contract with Leipzig expired. 

The Austrian central midfielder leaves Leipzig after six years with the club, where he won the German Cup twice, including in his last game for the team. The 26-year-old Laimer signed a contract through 2027.

“It’s a dream come true for me. FC Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world," Laimer said in a statement. "I will give everything for the club and the fans. FC Bayern always has the highest goals — just like me. I’m in the right place here.”

Laimer is the first Bayern signing since the club fired Oliver Kahn as chief executive and Hasan Salihamidžić as sporting director last month. However, arrangements to sign Laimer were widely reported to have been made long before Kahn and Salihamidžić left.

Laimer scored against Bayern for Leipzig in a 3-1 win for his old club last month, leaving Bayern in second place behind Borussia Dortmund in the standings ahead of the last day of games. However, Bayern beat Cologne to win the title on goal difference after Dortmund drew with Mainz.