Harry Kane Could Cost Man United £80m Even at 33 2026

Key Points

• Former Manchester United forward Dion Dublin has encouraged the club to spend around £70m-80m on Harry Kane, despite the Englishman being 33 or more years old.
• Speaking to BetVictor, Dublin claimed that Kane would make any Premier League club better and should be pursued “even if he signs a new deal” at Bayern Munich.
• According to Dublin, Kane has scored 152 goals in 154 games for Bayern Munich since his move from Tottenham in 2023 for a world record fee of close to £100m.
• Kane’s contract expires with Bayern Munich in July 2027, with Bayern already having extension talks.
• TEAMtalk reported via transfer insider Graeme Bailey that Kane had agreed in principle to renew for a two-and-a-half-year period while turning down an offer to join Barcelona.
• ESPN reported that Kane’s renewal talks at Bayern Munich were “moving forward” with both sides being confident about reaching an agreement shortly.
• Dublin pointed out that Kane is still a reliable source of goals and compared him to Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Kylian Mbappe.
• According to Dublin, Manchester United have attacking options in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Marcus Rashford.

FC United of Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 12, 2026 – Former Manchester United striker Dion Dublin has urged his old club to make a major move for Bayern Munich and England captain Harry Kane, saying United should be prepared to pay £70m or £80m even if the striker signs a new contract in Germany. Dublin’s intervention has renewed discussion around a player United have been linked with for years, despite Kane now being 33 and under contract at Bayern until 2027.

Why has Dion Dublin urged Manchester United to sign Harry Kane?

As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Dublin believes Kane’s continued scoring record makes him worth a substantial outlay, regardless of his age. Kane joined Bayern Munich in 2023 for a club-record fee of just below £100m and has since scored 152 goals in 154 games for the German club.

Dublin told football betting site BetVictor that Kane’s positioning, intelligence and ability to influence games from deeper areas make him an attractive option even into his mid-thirties. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, he said: “Even at 33, 34, 35, I’d still nick Harry for a year or two because he just finds his way into good positions.”

He added:

“You put the ball there and he doesn’t even have to run about as much.”

Dublin also highlighted Kane’s evolving role, saying the forward has been dropping into a number 10 position and sometimes deeper, allowing him to spray passes and become harder for defenders to mark. “Two centre-halves don’t know where he is, and then he crops up,” Dublin said, according to the Manchester Evening News.

What exactly did Dion Dublin say about Harry Kane?

Dublin was direct in his assessment that Kane would improve Manchester United immediately. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, he said: “He’s a very clever footballer. I would take Harry Kane right now at Man Utd.”

He added that signing Kane would also send a statement about United’s ambitions. “There’s a bit of a statement in this, Harry Kane could start in any Premier League side,” Dublin said. “Any Premier League side, it doesn’t matter. Every club in the Premier League would take him right now, 100 per cent.”

Goal.com also carried Dublin’s comments, reporting that the former England international wanted Premier League clubs to move quickly to bring Kane back to England from Bayern Munich.

Dublin went further on the financial side, telling BetVictor, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News: “United have toyed with it, they’ve spoken about it too much. If you want him, go get him.”

He continued: “Even if he signs a new deal there, give them the £70m or £80m, whatever they want, because you’ve got to get goals.”

Dublin framed the potential signing around a simple sporting argument. “Why are you buying Harry Kane? To score your goals,” he said. “Who can you guarantee for goals? Haaland, Kane, Lewandowski, Mbappe, and then you start to struggle a bit for guaranteed scorers. Harry Kane guarantees you goals.”

How has Harry Kane performed since joining Bayern Munich?

Kane has been highly productive since leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich in 2023. The Manchester Evening News reported that he joined for a club-record fee of just below £100m and has scored 152 goals in 154 appearances for Bayern.

His international form has also remained strong. The Manchester Evening News reported that Kane scored six goals in four England games during the recent international break, reinforcing Dublin’s view that the striker remains among the most reliable goalscorers in world football.

Kane is England’s all-time leading scorer, a point emphasised by the Manchester Evening News in its coverage of Dublin’s comments.

The Manchester Evening News also reported that Kane is once again high in the running for this year’s Ballon d’Or, underlining that he is still regarded as one of the leading players in European football.

What is Harry Kane’s contract situation at Bayern Munich?

Kane’s current Bayern Munich contract expires in July 2027, meaning he would become a free agent at that point if no extension is agreed. The Manchester Evening News reported that Bayern are in talks to extend his contract beyond that date.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl had previously confirmed the club’s interest in keeping Kane. As reported by the BBC in January, Eberl said: “We are in talks with Harry.”

The Athletic also reported in January that Bayern were negotiating with Kane over a new contract, with Eberl confirming the discussions.

More recently, ESPN reported that Kane’s contract talks with Bayern were “moving forward”, with both sides confident that an agreement would soon be reached.

TEAMtalk, citing its transfer insider Graeme Bailey, reported on October 6 that Kane had agreed a contract extension with Bayern in principle. According to TEAMtalk, the proposed deal was for two and a half years and Kane had rejected the chance to join Barcelona.

Football365 also reported that a new contract until 2029 had been planned for Kane, while stating that salary terms had already been agreed and that the deal could soon be closed and signed.

Could Bayern Munich still sell Harry Kane in January?

The Manchester Evening News reported that Bayern may be open to selling Kane in January, particularly if the club could effectively recoup its investment almost four years after signing him.

That possibility remains uncertain, however, because Kane’s contract situation has been moving towards an extension. TEAMtalk reported that Kane was fully committed to Bayern and, barring a late change, would continue in Munich on a new two-and-a-half-year contract.

The Manchester Evening News noted that Kane’s contract runs until July 2027, while also reporting Bayern’s potential willingness to consider a January sale.

Goal.com reported that Kane was reportedly on the verge of extending his contract, which still runs until 2027.

Why would Harry Kane appeal to Manchester United?

Dublin’s argument centres on United’s need for a dependable central goalscorer. The Manchester Evening News reported that Michael Carrick has seen promise from £74m signing Benjamin Sesko, although the Slovenian’s injury issues have become a concern.

The report added that Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have each filled in as frontmen when required, while Marcus Rashford is also an option to lead the attack since returning to the club.

Despite those options, the Manchester Evening News stated that none of them offers the same goal threat as Kane, the former Tottenham striker and England’s top scorer of all time.

Dublin’s view is that Kane’s experience and movement would make him effective even if he is no longer at the peak physical level associated with younger forwards. As reported by Sportskeeda, Dublin said: “Even at 33, 34, 35, I’d still nick Harry for a year or two because he just finds his way into good positions.”

What are the risks for Manchester United?

The Manchester Evening News acknowledged that signing an established star later in his career would be a difficult prospect for United given the club’s recent history. It cited Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford as examples of high-profile forwards who joined past their prime.

The report noted that Ibrahimovic had one prolific season before moving to Major League Soccer, while also warning that United could spend heavily on Kane only to see his form decline at Old Trafford.

However, the Manchester Evening News stated that Kane is still enjoying his best years and remains in contention for the Ballon d’Or.

Dublin appeared unconcerned by that risk. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, he said United should act rather than continue discussing a potential deal: “If you want him, go get him.”

What would a Harry Kane return mean for his Premier League record?

A return to English football could give Kane another chance to pursue Alan Shearer’s Premier League goals record. The Manchester Evening News reported that a move would hand Kane another opportunity to break the record.

Kane left Tottenham for Bayern in 2023 after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards. His record at Bayern has remained exceptional, with 152 goals in 154 matches.

The Manchester Evening News described Kane as a “Tottenham icon” and England’s top scorer of all time, reflecting his standing in English football despite his move abroad.

What has been reported about Manchester United’s long-term interest?

Kane has been linked with United for years, according to the Manchester Evening News.

TEAMtalk reported that United have long been keen to take Kane to Old Trafford and that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had publicly confirmed an interest.

TEAMtalk also reported that Dublin urged United’s co-owners, INEOS, to pay £80m to Bayern in 2027 to sign Kane, even if the striker signed a new contract with the Bundesliga champions.

LiveScore carried the same TEAMtalk reporting, stating that Kane had rejected Barcelona to commit his future to Bayern, while Dublin continued to call for United to make a bid.

Background of the development

Kane joined Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in August 2023 on a four-year deal worth an initial 100m euros, or £86.4m, according to the BBC.

Bayern confirmed in January 2026 that it had opened talks with Kane about extending his contract. Eberl told Sky Deutschland, as reported by The Athletic: “We are in talks with Harry.”

The BBC later reported that Bayern were working on an extension to Kane’s contract, which was due to run until 2027. It also reported that Kane had a release clause which could be triggered until the end of January and allow a summer move for £56m, although Bayern were not concerned by that provision because signs pointed towards an extension.

By October, reporting had shifted towards Kane remaining in Munich. TEAMtalk reported an agreement in principle over a two-and-a-half-year extension, while ESPN reported that talks were progressing and that both parties were confident of reaching an agreement.

Against that backdrop, Dublin’s call for United to pay £70m–£80m represents a challenge to the club’s recruitment strategy: whether to pursue a proven but ageing goalscorer, even if Bayern are increasingly likely to retain him.

How could this development affect Manchester United fans?

For Manchester United supporters, Dublin’s comments are likely to intensify debate over whether the club should prioritise a proven elite striker or continue developing its existing attacking options. Kane’s record of 152 goals in 154 Bayern appearances would make him an immediate focal point, but his age and likely transfer cost would raise questions about long-term value.

If Bayern extend Kane’s contract, as TEAMtalk and ESPN have reported, a transfer would become more complicated and potentially more expensive. That could leave United fans weighing the appeal of a short-term, high-impact signing against the need to invest in younger players such as Benjamin Sesko.

For Premier League followers more widely, Dublin’s claim that Kane could start for any top-flight club reflects the striker’s continued reputation. If Kane remained at Bayern, the immediate effect on United’s transfer plans would be limited; if Bayern considered a January sale, supporters could see a renewed push for one of English football’s most established goalscorers.