Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Harry Kane is set to leave Tottenham Hotspur imminently with the club planning for a future without the England captain, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Saturday.
The club's record goalscorer Kane, 30, was set for a Bundesliga record 100 million euro ($NZ183 million) deal with Bayern Munich.
"My understanding is that it's progressed to the point where it looks like it's going to happen," Postecoglou told reporters ahead of his side's Premier League match at Brentford on Sunday.
"From that perspective, it gives us some clarity that barring something unforeseen happens we move forward without Harry."
Postecoglou, who took over at Spurs in June, said Kane had indicated on day one that he wanted to leave after 19 years with the club and the manager had not tried to convince him to stay.
"You kind of get an indication there that he had kind of made up his mind that if the clubs agreed, that he would go," he explained.
"There's been nothing along the way that's made me feel there's anything other than this outcome.
"Whatever I was going to say wasn't going to be relevant to how he felt, being here for the last month. I could plan this grand vision but I'm sure he's heard it all before."
Tottenham finished a disappointing eighth in the league last season, out of the European places while Bayern are in the Champions League.
Postecoglou said Tottenham had Kane's departure in mind for some time so "this doesn't change things dramatically from my perspective, in terms of what we're trying to build.
"Our whole strategy has been around the fact that Harry wasn't going to be around, more than likely. So it's not like we've had a pow-wow this morning and what do we do? We knew it was coming."
Postecoglou said Tottenham still had a big squad and there would be some more movement.
"I think some players will seek opportunities elsewhere and there's still three or so weeks to go in the transfer window... that's not because Harry's gone, that's always been in the plan."
The Australian paid tribute to Kane and said his record spoke for itself.
"I'm only new in the building, mate. I'm certainly not a spokesperson for this football club in the sense of proclaiming people's status but I think it's fairly evident Harry Kane will always be one of the greats.
"It's only fair on a day like today that our supporters do have a sense of mourning and loss, as despite the lack of success at the club, he's been a hero to them."
Postecoglou said new signing James Maddison, the England midfielder who joined from relegated Leicester City, would help the club adapt to Kane's departure even if there was no like-for-like replacement for the captain.
"If Harry's gone, we want to spread (goals) out and Maddison provides that. The way he's been in training the and way he embraces the club, he plays the way we want to play."
Harry Maguire Photo: Photosport
West Ham make big moves
West Ham United have had a bid for defender Harry Maguire accepted by Manchester United while Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse has undergone a medical with the London club, manager David Moyes said on Saturday.
Reports in British media this week said West Ham had agreed deals worth around 30 million pounds ($38.09 million) each for both England internationals.
Asked about the signings, Moyes told reporters: "We're not denying it, James Ward-Prowse is having a medical with us now.
"I don't know if it's right to talk about players when we've not actually signed them yet, but yes, we've agreed a fee...," added the English manager, speaking ahead of Saturday's season-opening trip to Bournemouth.
"We've also had a bid accepted from Manchester United, but while he's not our player I'm not in position to discuss him, really."
Moyes also revealed that West Ham had received a bid from Manchester City for Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta, but added that the offer was "not anywhere near meeting our valuation".
West Ham won the Europa Conference League and secured a 14th-place finish in the Premier League last season, with their European success earning them a place in the Europa League.
Moyes said the club are hoping to once again be competitive both domestically and in Europe, saying: "We played 65 games the season before last and 61 last season, which was incredible...
"That's mainly down to our success and we want to build on that. We want to start well, but it's where you finish that's important. We didn't finish last season in the league where we wanted to be, but also we didn't finish where we didn't want to be."
- Reuters