Bayern Munich are used to getting what they want, but a rude awakening awaits the Die Roten hierarchy amid their ongoing negotiations with Daniel Levy.
Bayern, who barely got over the line in the Bundesliga last season, are desperate for an elite number nine to lead Thomas Tuchel's line and the former Chelsea coach has identified arguably the world's best in Harry Kane to succeed Robert Lewandowski in Bavaria.
Kane's contract situation at Tottenham certainly works in Bayern's favour, but the striker's significance to the Lilywhites means Levy is still playing hardball. While the German giants are determined to prise Kane away from north London, the saga is set to be a protracted one and there are no guarantees Spurs' all-time record goalscorer will become just the third Englishman to suit up for Die Roten come the start of the 2023/24 season.
Here's a reminder of the other Englishmen who have previously represented Bayern.
Owen Hargreaves
Hargreaves' career started in the foothills of Calgary (literally) before moving to Bayern as a 16-year-old following a successful trial. He spent a couple of years in the club's youth system before breaking into Ottmar Hitzfeld's first team at the start of the 21st century.
His rise was swift and meteoric. Within a year of making his Bayern debut, the then-teenager started in midfield and was credited for marking Pablo Aimar out of the contest as Die Roten beat Valencia on penalties in the 2001 Champions League final. Hargreaves, whose first England cap arrived in August 2001, was emerging as a bona fide star in Bavaria before injuries started to take their toll.
The dependable and hard-working midfielder nevertheless continued to impress when called upon and his stint at Bayern was a lengthy one despite regularly flirting with the idea of playing in England. Eventually, Hargreaves gave in to the temptation of Man Utd and signed for the Red Devils in 2007.
He finished his career in Germany with a Champions League crown, four Bundesliga titles and 218 appearances for Bayern.
Omar Richards
While Hargreaves developed into a household name following his emergence at Bayern, Richards remained under the radar after enjoying a brief spell with the Rekordmeister.
This was certainly a curious move, with Richards joining Bayern on a free transfer in 2021 after his contract with Reading expired. Nevertheless, the Englishman had performed well with the Royals and Bayern's former sporting director described Richards as a "technically fine player on the left of defence" and believed he would play a "good role" in the Bayern set-up, whatever that meant.
The expectations were far from lofty, and Richards spent just a year in Germany. Despite signing a four-year deal with Die Roten, the athletic left-back joined Nottingham Forest in 2022 for a modest fee.
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This article was originally published on 90min as English footballers who played for Bayern Munich.
