Why Tottenham can’t ‘put down money & have Harry Kane back the next day’ as ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Bayern Munich is explained

Tottenham reluctantly agreed to part with their all-time leading goalscorer when sanctioning a big-money transfer to Germany in the summer of 2023. Kane has maintained his prolific strike rate in Munich, plundering 37 goals, but is in danger of missing out on major silverware once again.

There has been talk of the England captain making a hasty return to the Premier League despite agreeing a contract through to 2027. Daniel Levy claimed back in September that Spurs have a buy-back option of sorts on Kane – meaning that he could be returned to north London at some stage.

There is, however, no clause to trigger there. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has told The Spurs Chat Podcast when asked about the terms of a deal that could work in Tottenham’s favour: “More than a traditional buy-back clause, from what I’m hearing it’s more of a gentleman’s agreement between the clubs where if they decide to sell Harry Kane in the future, Tottenham will be made aware of the decision. This is the discussion that took place between Bayern and Tottenham, but it’s not a traditional buy-back clause where you can go there and put down the money and the player is coming back the following day, I don’t think it’s an automatic clause, but more of a gentleman’s agreement.”

Kane, who spent several months living in a hotel before being joined by his young family in Germany, has offered no indication that he is looking to retrace steps to his homeland. For now, he remains determined to break his trophy duck while on the books of Bayern.