Harry Kane's Future: Talks with Al-Hilal and Bayern Munich Contract
Harry Kane’s future, it turns out, is about far more than a Ballon d’Or campaign.
The England captain’s camp have held talks with Al-Hilal over a potential move to the Saudi Pro League, with the Bayern Munich striker understood to be open to the idea somewhere down the line. The Saudis have made a habit of targeting superstars in their prime; Kane’s name on that list is no surprise.
But this is not a simple exit story. At 33, Kane is also keen to stay put in Bavaria, where discussions have already begun over a new contract with Bayern. Any sudden twist would have to come quickly. The Bundesliga transfer window shuts on 31 August, leaving little room for a late dash east.
Al-Hilal chase an English double
Al-Hilal are not just circling one England forward. They are going after two.
Ollie Watkins is reported to have agreed personal terms with the Saudi club, though Aston Villa have yet to receive a formal bid for the 30-year-old. Confusion reigns over Al-Hilal’s exact plan up front. Some reports suggest Watkins is the alternative after a move for Kane stalled. Others insist the club want more than one marquee striker.
For now, the scenario hangs in the air: Kane and Watkins in the same squad, fighting for the same shirt in Riyadh. Ambitious? Absolutely. Impossible? Not according to those driving the talks.
Gavi turns his back on Old Trafford
One player who will not be heading for the Premier League is Gavi.
Manchester United made a move for the Spain World Cup winner, but the midfielder has rejected the chance to join the club and intends to remain at Barcelona. For United supporters already fretting over a quiet window in terms of elite arrivals, it is another blow.
And the issues at Old Trafford are not limited to who they cannot sign. Attention is turning to who they might lose.
Napoli test United and the Premier League
Napoli are eyeing up Joshua Zirkzee, with the forward on their radar after a season largely spent competing from the bench under Michael Carrick. The Netherlands international never fully nailed down a starting spot, but his profile has clearly caught the Italian club’s attention.
Napoli’s search for attacking reinforcements does not stop there. They have contacted Chelsea about Nicolas Jackson and have also asked Arsenal about Gabriel Jesus. Any deal for Jesus would require Napoli to move at least one existing forward out of the door first. Their attack is crowded; their ambitions are not.
Loftus-Cheek blocked from Premier League return
Elsewhere in Serie A, Milan have shut down an attempt from Coventry to bring Ruben Loftus-Cheek back to the Premier League.
The newly promoted club lodged an £8.5m offer for the 30-year-old midfielder, hoping to return him to the English top flight for the first time since his Chelsea days in 2023. Milan said no. For now, Loftus-Cheek stays in Italy and Coventry must look elsewhere for experience in the middle of the pitch.
City lose Rodri and turn to Wharton
Back in England, Manchester City have suffered the most significant departure of the window. Rodri has left the champions and signed for Barcelona, ripping out a key pillar of Enzo Maresca’s midfield just as the new manager starts to shape his side.
The search for a replacement has begun in earnest. One name high on City’s list is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. The England international fits the profile, but his price is unclear, and that uncertainty matters. City have already spent £116m on Elliot Anderson in this window, and even their financial muscle has limits.
Maresca now faces the defining question of his first season: how do you rebuild a midfield after losing its brain, with the clock ticking and the market growing more chaotic by the day?
