The transfer of Harry Kane in the summer of 2023 was one of the most spectacular deals in Bayern’s recent history. In the OMR podcast, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has now provided rare insights into the processes behind such mega-transfers – and explains why player transfers represent the greatest economic risk for the club
The England captain moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Munich for a transfer fee of almost 100 million euros, making it one of the most expensive transfers in FC Bayern’s history – and the negotiations were correspondingly complex
Dreesen made it clear in the podcast that transfers are not just sporting decisions, but also entail enormous economic risks. „Our transfer business is certainly the biggest risk that we have to manage at the club,“ explained the Bayern boss
The reason is obvious: if a player is signed for large sums of money and doesn’t work out in sporting terms, the damage can quickly become enormous – both financially and in sporting terms. „If a transfer doesn’t work out, you definitely destroy money. But you also destroy sporting excellence at least as much,“ said Dreesen
After all, several wrong decisions on the transfer market can also have a direct impact on sporting success in the long term
The Kane transfer was a marathon
Dreesen gave a particularly impressive account of the negotiations with Tottenham boss Daniel Levy over the Kane transfer. The Spurs president has been regarded as one of the toughest negotiators in international soccer for years. „We had dozens of phone calls,“ Dreesen recalled
Some talks even took place late at night because Levy was in the USA at times during the negotiations. Dreesen also flew to London several times to negotiate with Tottenham in person. „We wanted something from him. So it’s customary for the person who wants something to go to the other person,“ explained the Bayern board member
Despite intensive talks, Levy remained firm for a long time – after all, Tottenham did not originally want to sell their superstar. In the end, one party in particular played a decisive role: Harry Kane himself
Kane really wanted to join FC Bayern
The England international was desperate to move to FC Bayern to take on a new sporting challenge. His advisors – in Kane’s case, his father and brother – also actively supported the move. „You only have any chance of realizing a transfer like this if the player and his advisors help,“ explained Dreesen
Especially with top players, a transfer is always a complex interplay of several parties. „A transfer only works if three parties work together,“ said Dreesen. The selling club, the buying club and the player must all agree in the end. „In the end, a transfer is always a three-party deal,“ said the Bayern boss
In the case of the Kane deal, all the factors finally came together – even if the process was significantly longer and more complicated than with many other transfers
In retrospect, the risk paid off for FC Bayern. Kane immediately developed into the Munich club’s central attacking player – and thus confirmed the enormous investment.