Harry Kane responds to Michael Owen's claim he was 'nuts' for pulling kids out of school to join Bayern Munich from Tottenham

Having failed to break his much-publicised silverware duck at Tottenham - with final heartache also being endured at major tournaments with England - Kane took the decision to leave north London and head for Germany in the summer of 2023.

Said switch has been questioned by former Liverpool and Three Lions striker Owen, as he told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast: “Harry Kane is just lethal; he's a brilliant finisher. I disagreed with him going to Germany; I was outspoken about that. I still think he was nuts. You're on the verge of being the all-time Premier League goal scorer, you've got kids that are all in school. I mean, I just couldn't see it. I don't see it.

“If you're that desperate to win something, then do another year and then go. It's like if you go up and move to Celtic and win the league, you win every year, but there's no great achievement in that. A great achievement would have been being the top goal scorer ever in the Premier League. That would have been unbelievable, and he could have won things along the way.”

Kane admits to being aware of those comments, but has said in response to them: “I heard it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've spent a bit of time with him but don't know him well. Obviously, he is a Premier League great and an England great as well, so I'll respect him as a person, but ultimately as he will know, everyone's career is different - everyone's decisions and motivations are different.

“I know he was insinuating I went just for the trophy, but it was to be at the highest level for as long as possible, and I'm really happy in that sense of playing big games, title runs, big Champions League matches, Club World Cup quarter-final.

“I feel I'm improving as a player, I'm pushing my limits as a player in terms of goalscoring. It's hard not to hear things these days, but the decisions are best for me and I'm really happy that I made that decision and very happy at Bayern Munich now.”

Kane collected his first major honour when becoming a Bundesliga title winner in 2024-25. He has savoured a German Super Cup win since then, taking his tally of goals for Bayern to 91 through 100 appearances. He remains 47 efforts short of Shearer’s record-setting haul of 260 in the Premier League, with a possible return to English football being speculated on alongside a shock switch to La Liga giants Barcelona.