Bayern plot striker shake-up: Kompany reshapes system around Harry Kane | OneFootball

With Harry Kane, FC Bayern not only has one of the best strikers in the world in its ranks, but also the centerpiece of its sporting future. To ensure it stays that way, the record champions are working on a long-term plan—both in sporting and contractual terms. Coach Vincent Kompany not only wants to keep the 32-year-old, but also give him a new role in the Bayern system.

According to Sport BILD information, the club management has also developed a clear "Kane roadmap." The background is an exit clause that Kane could trigger in the summer of 2026. It would allow the Englishman to leave the club for a fixed transfer fee of 65 million euros—but only until January 31, 2026. After that, the option automatically expires.

Bayern wants to keep calm—no hasty decisions

At Säbener Straße, they don’t want to take any risks, but also don’t want to make any rash decisions. Those responsible, including Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, want to closely monitor the situation. An early buyout of the clause, as has been discussed with other stars in the past, is currently not an issue—too expensive and unnecessarily risky.

Instead, Bayern is relying on patience and trust. If Kane, whose contract runs until 2027, has no thoughts of leaving, talks about an extension could begin during 2026.

A salary increase is not planned. With an annual salary of around 24 million euros, Kane is already one of the club’s top earners. Since the striker would already be 34 years old in 2027, the Munich club does not want to further inflate its wage structure.

Kompany rethinks tactics—Kane as a deep-lying forward

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While the bosses remain calm in the transfer market, Kompany is working on the next evolutionary stage of the English superstar. The Belgian coach is deploying Kane increasingly deeper on the pitch—as a deep-lying forward or playmaking striker.

In the recent matches against Hoffenheim (4:1) and Pafos (5:1), the goal scorer did not play as a classic number nine, but often dropped into midfield. Instead of waiting for passes in the penalty area, he directed the attacking play himself—mostly behind Nicolas Jackson.

This new variant of the 4-2-3-1 gives Kane more space for combinations and relieves him in pace duels. Kompany’s goal: more game control, more variability, more presence in the final third.

Striker duo as a model for the future

The coach is thinking long-term. Already in the summer, FC Bayern was exploring the market for a second striker to relieve Kane in the future. According to Sport BILD, there was contact with Benjamin Sesko, who was then still at RB Leipzig. The Slovenian ultimately decided to move to Manchester United, but the idea of a strike partnership remains.

With Jackson, who was loaned from Chelsea, Kompany already has a physically strong attacker who harmonizes perfectly with Kane. The duo could form the new “Bayern strike model” in the future—a combination of dynamism and football intelligence that gives the record champions’ attack a new dimension.

In Munich, they know that Harry Kane is indispensable for sporting success. His numbers are impressive, his leadership role undisputed. But more important than goals now is how Kompany integrates him into the system.

The idea of deploying the Englishman as a playmaking striker marks a strategic shift: away from the classic target man, toward a modern, flexible attacking center.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.