Barcelona number 9 target for next summer has release clause

Barcelona are in need of a number nine to replace Robert Lewandowski next summer, and several names have been mentioned. One of those is Bayern Munich veteran Harry Kane, with a fresh update on his availability emerging this week.

It has been confirmed by various outlets that Director of Football Deco is looking at the number nine position for next summer. Kane is the same age as Lewandowski was when Barcelona made a €50m move for him, and is out of contract in 2027.

According to the Daily Star, Kane has a €65m release clause in his contract that can be activated next summer. However one of the conditions of the clause is that the England international must inform Bayern by January of his intention to leave. That would require Barcelona to get their ducks in a row in the coming months.

Kane has been linked with a return to the club he made his name at too, Tottenham Hotspur. The 32-year-old left Spurs to join Bayern for €95m two summers ago, and manager Thomas Frank was asked about a potential return.

“There’s a lot of Tottenham fans including myself who would like to see Kane back. He’s a top player. Personally, I don’t think he will do it right now, if I’m honest, he’ll probably stay in Bayern and continue performing well. He was top scorer last year and won the championship, he’s doing fantastic now. I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

“Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more. But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome.”

It does seem unlikely that Barcelona would move for Kane six months in advance, not least because recent years suggest they will have no clarity on their spending ability at that point. Given Kane’s age, Barcelona may also like their chances of negotiating a lower price for Kane at that point too.