Harry Kane on the move? Bayern Munich release clause, Barcelona transfer interest and Premier League goals record leaves England captain with much to consider

Back in 2023, it was rumoured that part of the reason why Lewandowski wanted out of the Allianz Arena was Bayern's alleged attempt to convince Erling Haaland to move to Munich rather than Manchester that same summer. Lewandowski insisted that Norwegian No.9 had absolutely nothing to do with his desire to swap Bavaria for Barcelona, but it's nonetheless amusing to read reports that Blaugrana president Joan Laporta is 'obsessed' with signing Haaland.

It's obviously not going to happen - at least not yet. It's going to take at least another year for lever-pulling Laporta to balance the Blaugrana's books - let alone put them back in a position to sign the most valuable players on the planet. With a little more creative accounting, though, Barca could well be in a position to land Kane at the end of the season.

According to Bild, the England captain has a €65m (£57m/$76m) buyout clause in his contract that can be activated next summer provided the striker notifies Bayern of his desire to leave by the end of January. The Bundesliga champions are, however, reportedly relaxed about the situation for the simple fact that Kane is currently content, on and off the field at the Allianz Arena.

From a purely sporting perspective, things certainly couldn't be going any better for Kane and his club. Unbeaten Bayern have made a record-breaking start to their 2025-26 campaign and are presently top of both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Kane is the principal reason why, having scored an utterly ludicrous 24 goals in just 18 appearances in all competitions - more than any other player in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

The man himself may have had understandable misgivings about the size of Vincent Kompany's squad at the start of the season - but they've made light of the absence of Jamal Musiala through injury thanks to the exciting emergence of 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, Luis Diaz's incredible impact since joining from Liverpool and Michael Olise elevating his game to an even higher level after a wonderful debut season in Germany.

The net result is that Bayern are the best team in Europe at the moment - as they underlined by maintaining their 100 percent in the Champions League with a mightily impressive 2-1 victory over titleholders Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes during which they showcased both their attacking prowess and defensive diligence.

Crucially, Kane's family are also loving life right now - and not just because he's enjoying the most prolific spell of his stellar career.

When he first made the move from his native London to Munich, there were external concerns over how Kane and his family would deal with the change of city, country and culture. However, Kane has repeatedly brought up just how "comfortable" he, his wife Kate and their children feel in Germany, where they are reportedly afforded more privacy than they were back in England.

"The way the people here welcomed us was extraordinary," the striker said earlier this year. "It touched us deeply as a family - not just me, but all of us. We love it. We truly appreciate every second."

In that context, one cannot but take Kane at his word when he says that he's even open to extending a contract that expires in 2027.

"We can certainly talk about that," he said in September. "I have almost two years left, so it's not like I'm in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking. I'm fine. The club is fine. I think they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them. Those discussions can take place."

He doubled down on that when directly questioned about the Barcelona links ahead of his return to north London with Bayern on Wednesday when they face Arsenal in the Champions League, telling BILD: "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me. I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There’s no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there’s contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it’s very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

There's no denying, though, that Kane would give serious consideration to a serious bid from Barca, who, for all of their financial troubles, retain an almost mythical status even among elite-level footballers. There are few more attractive destinations on the planet, and what No.9 wouldn't want to play in the same forward line as Lamine Yamal? All things considered, Kane would find an offer from Barca very difficult to turn down, particularly if they resolve their registration problems in 2026.

It's also clear that the Blaugrana are going to have to replace Lewandowski sooner rather than later. The Poland international is still scoring goals - no Barca player has scored more in La Liga this season (eight) - but he's 37 now and he's had three muscular issues since April, suggesting that his body is starting to betray him.

It certainly feels significant that talks have yet to begin over a new deal for Lewandowski, who will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and free to talk to other clubs from January 1.

When asked about his next move while on Poland duty last week, Lewandowski admitted to reporters, "I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry. I’m at peace with myself, and that is the most important thing. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question, because I also have to feel what’s best for me. But, for now, I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else."

Tellingly, Barcelona have been linked with several strikers in recent weeks, including Julian Alvarez, Victor Osimhen, Serhou Guirassy and Etta Eyong - but the common consensus is that Kane is top of the transfer target shortlist. 

On the face of it, that's surprising, given Kane will turn 33 before the start of next season. However, there's absolutely nothing to suggest that time is catching up with him. Kane has always spoken of his desire to emulate iconic duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by playing into his late-30s and fellow England legend Wayne Rooney has even compared his relentless pursuit of goals to that of the Portuguese. However, whereas Ronaldo finetuned his game as he got older, Kane's is actually evolving. 

"What Harry has produced here in the last year or two is absolutely top-notch," acknowledged Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeness. "And what I like best about him is that, in the beginning, he was a goal-scorer who played in his box, who waited for the balls to come. But, today, he's long since become a playmaker, as well as a finisher. Above all else, though, he's a player with a personality who inspires others on the pitch, who sets the direction, and that's exactly what we were looking for."

Basically, Bayern wanted a Lewandowski replacement - but they got so much more. 

"Robert Lewandowski won the Champions League with Bayern in 2020 and was later named World Player of the Year, but the two aren’t comparable," Matthaus wrote in his column for Sky Germany. "Kane reinvented the centre-forward game, just as Manuel Neuer did with goalkeepers about a decade and a half ago.

"I don't see a better striker in the world right now - and not just because of his goals, but because of his versatility and the positions he plays. Kane also demonstrates qualities as a passer, dribbler, and tackler. He is simultaneously a goal-scorer, playmaker, box-to-box player, and tackler. 

"I've never seen Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe slide in their own penalty area like Kane did in the 88th minute against Dortmund (on October 18). I also don't see Haaland and Mbappe make passes of 50 metres or more. I haven't seen the chip shots that Kane can play from the other two.I just think Kane has become even better because he can act as a free spirit."

Of course, the flip side of Kane's consistently world-class displays for Bayern is that he's now in complete control of his own destiny. He can pretty much do whatever he desires at this particular point in his career.

If the all-time Premier League goals record is truly of the utmost importance to him, he can return to England and hunt down Alan Shearer's tally (260) with his beloved Tottenham - or maybe even Manchester United, who repeatedly tried to sign him in the past and are still crying out for a prolific centre-forward.

Of course, Kane could also conclude that the best way to prolong his career at the highest level would be to stay at Bayern, as the Bundesliga is not as physically punishing as the Premier League. The Bavarians can also virtually guarantee more trophies and annual qualification for the Champions League - a competition that the 32-year-old remains desperate to win.

But if Barca do come calling, Kane would likely listen to what they have to say. Whether they'll really be in a position to make any financial guarantees by the end of January is obviously very much open to debate.

What we do know, though, is that if Kane were to go to Camp Nou, it would be an even bigger blow for Bayern than losing Lewandowski - and Matthaus isn't the only one that would have found that remarkable two years ago.