Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou says Harry Kane told him on day one that he wanted out

LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has already planned for his team’s future without Harry Kane, admitting that the England captain had made it clear right from the start that he did not want to stay.

The 30-year-old striker, who is the club’s record scorer on 280 goals, has moved to Bayern Munich

for a German Bundesliga record €100 million (S$148 million) transfer fee.

“My understanding is that it’s progressed to the point where it looks like it’s going to happen,” Postecoglou said on Friday, before the transfer was confirmed on Saturday and ahead of his side’s English Premier League match at Brentford on Sunday.

“From that perspective, it gives us clarity that barring something unforeseen happens, we move forward without Harry.”

The Australian, who took over at Spurs in June, said Kane had indicated on day one that he wanted to leave after 19 years with the club and the manager had not tried to convince him to stay.

“You kind of get an indication that he had kind of made up his mind that if the clubs agreed, that he would go,” he said.

“There’s been nothing along the way that’s made me feel there’s anything other than this outcome.

“Whatever I was going to say wasn’t going to be relevant to how he felt, being here for the last month. I could plan this grand vision but I’m sure he’s heard it all before.”

Tottenham finished a disappointing eighth in the league last season, out of the European places, while 11th-time consecutive German champions Bayern are in the Champions League.

Kane is also seeking the first title of his career.

Postecoglou added that Tottenham had Kane’s departure in mind for some time so “this doesn’t change things dramatically from my perspective, in terms of what we’re trying to build”.

“Our whole strategy has been around the fact that Harry wasn’t going to be around, more than likely. So it’s not like we’ve had a pow-wow this morning and what do we do? We knew it was coming.”

The 57-year-old would be looking for a replacement, but if that is not possible in this summer transfer window, he said that new signing James Maddison – the England midfielder who joined from relegated Leicester City – would help the club adapt to Kane’s departure.

“If Harry’s gone, we want to spread (goals) out and Maddison provides that. The way he’s been in training and the way he embraces the club, he plays the way we want to play,” Postecoglou said. REUTERS