Jim Ratcliffe's Hopes for Harry Kane Dashed as Bayern Munich Closes in on New Deal

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set for a blow in his pursuit of Harry Kane, with Bayern Munich closing in on a new deal that would all but end Manchester United’s hopes of landing the England captain.

United’s interest in Kane has been no secret. On August 10, transfer insider Graeme Bailey reported that the club were among the sides monitoring the striker’s situation in Germany, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season. Inside Old Trafford, Ratcliffe is understood to be a huge admirer of the former Tottenham Hotspur talisman and open to exploring a move if any opportunity arose.

He may be too late.

Bayern move to lock Kane down

Bayern are ready to offer the 33-year-old a new three-year contract, a deal that would tie him to the Bundesliga champions well beyond 2026 and effectively remove him from the market for Europe’s elite.

German outlet Bild, via their Bayern specialist Christian Falk, now report that clarity is close. Speaking on his CFBayernInsider platform, Falk revealed that an announcement on Kane’s future is expected next month, with confidence surging inside the club that an agreement will be reached.

Kane was recently named “football star of the year” at the Sport Bild Awards. He joined the ceremony via Zoom, while his father, Pat, attended in person at the Fischauktionshalle in Hamburg. Behind the scenes, conversations were already turning towards his long-term future.

Falk detailed a discussion with Bayern president Herbert Hainer at the event and painted a relaxed picture from the German champions’ hierarchy. The mood was calm. The message was clear: there is belief at the top of the club that Kane’s extension is only a matter of time, even if a few contract details still need ironing out.

The expectation in Munich is that a deal will be announced “absolutely this year, not next year,” with Falk stating he is “really sure” Kane will sign on until at least 2026.

United left looking elsewhere

For United, and for Ratcliffe in particular, that stance is brutal. The club’s co-owner has long viewed Kane as an ideal centre-forward for a rebuilt United side and, according to sources, would “love” to bring him to Old Trafford.

But the pressure from Manchester appears to have come too late against Bayern’s determination and Kane’s own willingness to stay. Bailey had already reported that Kane wanted to remain in Bavaria, and the latest signals from Germany only reinforce that.

If, as expected, Kane commits to a new contract, he will be “off the market for every other club for a long time,” Falk stressed, signing off with a pointed apology to “his long-time admirers, Manchester United.”

One of the game’s great modern No.9s looks set to stay in Munich. United, still searching for a marquee centre-forward, may have to rip up the dream scenario and start again.