Transfers

Tottenham ‘revoke permission for Kane to undergo Bayern medical’

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly revoked their permission for Harry Kane to fly to Germany for a medical with Bayern Munich.

The long-running transfer saga took a significant step forward on Thursday as news emerged that Spurs had finally accepted a bid of around £86.4m for their talismanic striker.

Bayern had seen numerous offers rejected prior to that, but the accepted bid seemingly left it down to Kane to decide where his future lay.

The 30-year-old is understood to have made the decision to leave Spurs for Bayern late on Thursday night, having verbally agreed a four-year deal at the Allianz Arena.

Kane was scheduled to fly out to Munich this morning in order to undergo a medical and sign the contract, although there has been another hurdle in proceedings.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg reports that Spurs have now withdrawn their permission for Kane to fly as they look to make some last-minute changes to the agreement.

The details up for renewed discussion are thought to be relatively minor ones, but talks are being complicated by Daniel Levy being in the United States, and therefore in a different time zone.

The late twist means that Kane has been left waiting at the airport for permission to board the plane and fly to Munich to complete the transfer.

Kane is in the final year of his contract at Tottenham, meaning that unless he signs a new deal, this summer is the club’s last chance to earn a significant transfer fee for their record goalscorer.

The England captain is the second-highest scorer in Premier League history and has made no secret of his desire to overhaul Alan Shearer at the top of those standings.

However, his career has also so far been missing any major team trophy, which is thought to be the main influence behind his impending move to serial German champions Bayern Munich.

Bayern are in the market for a new striker having failed to directly replace Robert Lewandowski following his move to Barcelona last summer.

Kane has long been their top target, although Levy and Spurs have refused to budge on their asking price and were happy to keep hold of the striker if that figure was not met.

Manchester United were also heavily linked with a move earlier this summer, but they moved on to other targets due to Kane’s price tag and Levy’s reluctance to sell to a Premier League rival.

The striker wanted his future sorted before Tottenham’s opening game of the new season – which comes against Brentford on Sunday – and is understood to have been leaning towards staying at Spurs prior to Thursday’s developments.

Kane, who is expected to be handed the number nine shirt in Bavaria, would not join Bayern in time for their German Super Cup clash with RB Leipzig on Saturday.

However, should the transfer go through without further hitches, he could make his debut for the champions in the opening game of the new Bundesliga season away to Werder Bremen next Friday.

Kane has scored a club-record 280 goals in 435 appearances for Spurs during his 12 years as part of the senior team, while he is also England’s record goalscorer with 58 in 84 outings.

Transfers

Chelsea sign Mathis Amougou from St Etienne for €15 Million

Chelsea have completed the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Mathis Amougou from French Ligue 1 side St Etienne for a fee of €15 million.

Amougou, who is regarded as a highly promising talent, has signed an eight-year contract with the Blues. However, the midfielder is expected to be sent on loan to Strasbourg for the upcoming season, with plans for a return to Chelsea in 2026.

The transfer was confirmed by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on his official X handle, stating:
“Officially confirmed. Mathis Amougou joins Chelsea as a talented 19-year-old midfielder from St Etienne, costing a €15m package. Contract valid for the next 8 years. Amougou will be part of the Chelsea team, then set to go on loan to Strasbourg next season and back in 2026.”

Chelsea fans will be eager to see how Amougou develops during his time at Strasbourg before making his return to Stamford Bridge in the future.

Transfers

Mikel criticizes Chelsea’s January transfer decisions

Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s failure to strengthen two critical areas during the January transfer window.

Despite a strong start under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s form has dipped, winning only three of their last nine matches across all competitions.

The Blues now sit fourth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Fans and analysts identified the need for reinforcements in two key positions—goalkeeper and striker. Robert Sánchez has been error-prone, topping the list for mistakes leading to goals this season. Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson has endured a goal drought, failing to score in his last eight games.

Speaking on his podcast, Mikel highlighted the missed opportunity: “For me, that’s something we’re crying out for. We need another top striker. The window is shut, unfortunately, and now we can’t bring anyone in.”

He added: “We didn’t bring in a striker, we didn’t bring in a goalkeeper. That’s another window shut without us making the signings we think are going to help us finish in the top four.”

With the transfer window closed, Chelsea must rely on their existing squad to regain form and push for a top-four finish. The spotlight remains on Maresca to navigate these challenges as the season progresses.

Transfers

Joao Felix joins AC Milan on loan from Chelsea

Portuguese forward Joao Felix has completed a loan move to AC Milan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

Milan secured the services of the 25-year-old for a £5 million loan fee, with no obligation to buy. Although the transfer was only officially announced on Tuesday, all necessary paperwork was completed ahead of Monday’s Serie A and Premier League transfer deadlines.

Felix joined Chelsea permanently for £45 million in August after a previous loan spell during the 2022-23 season. Despite signing a seven-year contract, he struggled for consistent game time this campaign, starting only three Premier League matches but scoring seven goals across cup competitions.

The deal was part of a unique player exchange between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, with Chelsea academy graduate Conor Gallagher moving to Spain for £33 million. Chelsea’s attempt to sign Atletico striker Samu Omorodion fell through, and Felix’s loan move seemingly facilitated Atletico’s finances for the Gallagher transfer.

Felix, who began his career at Benfica before moving to Atletico Madrid for £113 million in 2019 — one of the most expensive transfers in football history — also had a loan stint at Barcelona during the 2023-24 season.

AC Milan, currently eighth in Serie A, will be hoping Felix can bolster their attacking options as they face Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on Wednesday. The Rossoneri also have a crucial two-legged Champions League play-off against Feyenoord this month.