When FC Bayern faces Viking Stavanger in the Champions League on Tuesday night, Harry Kane will be the center of attention. The English striker actually almost played for the Norwegian champions himself. As has now come to light, the current Bayern superstar was apparently on the verge of a move to Stavanger many years ago. Ultimately, the transfer fell through for a curious reason.
The story dates back to 2012. Kane was just 19 years old at the time and was still waiting for his big breakthrough at Tottenham Hotspur. Instead of playing regularly for the first team, the forward was gaining playing time at various loan clubs.
It was during this phase that Viking Stavanger is said to have taken notice of the future world-class striker. Former scout Gary Goodchild has now revealed just how close the Norwegian club actually came to signing him.
Kane was offered to Viking Stavanger
In an interview with the Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, Goodchild reported that Kane had been suggested to him as a potential new signing at the time. “I was told that he might be interested in coming to Viking,” the former scout recalled.
At that point, Kane was still a long way from becoming one of Europe’s best-known strikers. According to Goodchild, practically “no one” knew the young Englishman back then.
The current Bayern Munich player had been loaned out by Tottenham to Leyton Orient and FC Millwall, among others. Further loan stints at Norwich City and Leicester City would follow later.
A move to Scandinavia was apparently seen at the time as an interesting opportunity to give the forward additional playing time. “The people I spoke with felt that a loan to Scandinavia could do him some good,” Goodchild explained.
Injury prevents potential transfer
To get a first-hand look at Kane, Goodchild traveled to England. There, he planned to watch the striker play in a match for Millwall FC.
But the planned scouting visit didn’t go as expected. Kane was unable to play due to an injury.
The Viking Stavanger official therefore had to return to Norway without having formed a personal impression of the striker. A transfer never materialized.
“Shortly afterward, he was on the first team,” Goodchild recalled, adding, “And the rest is history.”
It’s impossible to say today whether the transfer would have actually gone through without the injury. What is certain, however, is that Stavanger had the opportunity back then to sign a future world-class striker.
Kane faces his would-have-been employer
Instead of moving to Norway, Kane ultimately established himself at Tottenham and developed into one of the Premier League’s top scorers.
In the summer of 2023, he transferred to FC Bayern. After lengthy negotiations, the Munich club transferred approximately 95 million euros to London. Since then, the England national team captain has impressively lived up to the high expectations. In 155 competitive matches so far for the record champions, Kane has scored 152 goals and provided 37 assists.
On Tuesday evening, the 33-year-old could further add to his impressive tally—against, of all teams, the very club where his career nearly took a completely different turn 14 years ago.
For Viking Stavanger, the match against their former transfer target is sure to hold a very special story.