Harry Kane says he is "fairly close" to agreeing a new contract at Bayern Munich, and has also opened up on an unexpected long-term plan to eventually switch codes and play in the NFL.
The England captain, 33, confirmed he is set to sign on again with Bayern, turning down interest from Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League in the process. "We're in good talks, I'll be honest. We're fairly close. There's still some things that we need to iron out," Kane said. "I'm happy there. I think it won't be too long before there's some sort of announcement."
He added that he feels settled in Munich: "I feel really comfortable in the team, with the coach, the environment. Like I touched on a bit earlier, at this level, I want to just be at this level, and push this level for as long as possible."
A Path to the NFL
Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country last season, then outlined a striking vision for life after football. Long known for his love of American football and his friendship with Tom Brady, Kane suggested his eventual route out of the game could run through Major League Soccer before potentially crossing into the NFL as a specialist kicker — a switch with precedent, given Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey previously played soccer professionally.
"That is something I will try and look at a bit more seriously. It all depends on what happens in my career over the next five or six years, the motivation and what I want to do. The NFL is a lot more realistic than the golf one, let's put it that way," Kane said.
"If people know I am still on the top of my game here with football it is not a conversation that would be had. Maybe if I am in the MLS in the future or somewhere like that, it might be a thing where you could connect the two maybe with the seasons but again, it is in the back of my mind because right now, I am feeling that I want to play as long as I can."
He also pushed back on any thought of slowing down. "I think sometimes it is easy to get to my age, 33, you start thinking about retirement or the future but I am trying to extract everything I can from the last two, five or 10 years, I will keep going."
Eyes on the Ballon d'Or
Before any of that, Kane has his sights set on the Ballon d'Or. He is currently the bookies' favourite to win the award next month, which would make him the first English winner in 25 years, ahead of rivals including Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.
"I know what I achieved last year was as good as anyone. So I don't want to shy away from that either. But ultimately, my mindset is to move on," Kane said. "It would be unbelievable to win it, I'd be extremely proud to win it. I think I'm definitely in the running to win it, without a doubt."
He admitted he finds it hard to fully process the timing of the award given the new season is already underway, but said the recognition of others means more to him than his own case. "It makes me more proud when other people talk about me, when other team-mates or ex-players or whoever it is, people who compliment me on what I achieved, I think that makes me more proud than me trying to talk about it myself."
