Harry Kane can lead Bayern Munich back to Champions League glory, according to his former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.
Kane joined the Bavarian giants from Tottenham last week for an estimated €117million (£100m), leaving as Spurs' record goalscorer and joining a Bayern side targeting their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title this season.
For all their domestic success, however, Bayern have suffered three consecutive quarter-final exits from the Champions League, last winning Europe's premier club competition in 2019-20.
But Redknapp, who handed Kane his Spurs debut in a Europa League qualifier against Hearts in 2011, believes the 30-year-old is the best striker in the world and can spearhead Bayern's return to Champions League glory.
"He's just for me the best centre-forward in the world," Redknapp told Stats Perform. "He can do absolutely everything.
"He's an amazing player. He scores goals. He makes goals, he can head it, he can score left foot, right foot, there's not a weakness in his game.
"Wherever he goes, he'll be a sensation. He could push Bayern Munich onto getting even closer to winning the Champions League this year and what they've been in the past.
"They'll probably win the league again. But the Champions League has got to be what they're looking to win and he's certainly the man to help them do that."
Kane's Spurs departure ended a 19-year association with the London club, the latter stages of which were clouded by rumours of a potential exit as major silverware evaded him.
Redknapp is surprised Bayern managed to acquire Kane, questioning why Manchester United did not attempt to sign a player who sits just 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League scoring record.
"It was a surprise to me that he decided to go to Bayern Munich," Redknapp said. "Even if he had gone to Real Madrid, I could have understood it, maybe.
"For me, he'd have been a great signing for Man United. We see [Moises] Caicedo going [to Chelsea] for over 100 million pounds. He's a defensive midfield player, doesn't score goals, doesn't make goals, breaks the play up.
"Harry Kane, for less money, who guarantees you between 25 and 30 goals a year, he could have pushed Man United onto maybe winning a title this year. So I was surprised they didn't go for him.
"I thought he might stay on and beat Shearer's record. I suppose the only person that's pleased he's going to Germany probably is Alan Shearer. It will keep the record intact."
Kane netted on his Bundesliga debut as Bayern began their title defence with a 4-0 thrashing of Werder Bremen on Friday.
Redknapp is confident his former player will adapt quickly and doubts he will be worried by the shadow of Robert Lewandowski, who scored 238 goals in 253 Bundesliga outings for Bayern before leaving for Barcelona last year.
"It'll be a different way of football, the style will be slightly different," Redknapp added. "It's still football, but it'll be slightly different to what he's been used to here.
"He's so low maintenance as a player, he's confident in his own abilities, he works hard, trains hard, lives right, family man. He'll score goals, make goals, he'll be a sensation.
"You know, Lewandowski was a great player, but Harry Kane's a better player."
Bayer Leverkusen's Puerta sets sights on Copa America
Gustavo Puerta's first season with Bayer Leverkusen could not have gone any better and the 20-year-old midfielder hopes his experience with the undefeated German side will earn him a place in Colombia's Copa America squad this summer.
Puerta has made eight appearances this season for Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who are unbeaten in 46 matches across all competitions under Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen will play Roma in the Europa League semi-finals and are also through to the DFB-Pokal final.
"This year has been wonderful for me and for my career, I hope to keep winning titles and get minutes at the end of the tournament," Puerta, who has made five Bundesliga appearances, told Reuters.
Puerta enjoyed success with Colombia's under-20 side and has received his first call-up for the national team's friendlies against Spain and Romania in March.
He hopes to make an impression on coach Nestor Lorenzo with the Copa America on the horizon. The tournament takes place in the United States across June and July.
"Being in this team with an undefeated run is very important to be considered for the national team if the coach (Lorenzo) thinks I can contribute," he added.
"We haven't talked much about it, but he told me that he's keeping an eye on me, that he wants to see me play. I hope to get minutes in the end because it is a privilege to be in the national team, I want to wait for the call-up."
The Colombian added that playing for one of the top 10 teams in the world has not only improved his game but also given him confidence in his abilities.
"It helps you mature, spending time with great world-class players on a daily basis and training with them is important, they are very experienced and that makes a difference for someone as young as me," he added.
Puerta said he felt supported by the club and that he would be able to reach his full potential under Alonso.
"It was historic, very nice, very crazy to have won my first title in one of the top five leagues in Europe," he added.
Emotional Thiago Silva confirms Chelsea departure but vows to return 'in another role'
Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, but hopes to return down the line in another role.
Silva, who joined Chelsea as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the club and helped them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, will not be staying at Stamford Bridge for a fifth campaign.
In an emotional interview with the club's media channels, the Brazilian said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for one year and it ended up being four years.
"Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it's a source of great pride to be a member of the Chelsea family.
"I hope my sons can continue with their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of.
"I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"It's an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
However, Silva is set on returning to the club once his playing days are over.
He added: "That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end, I have to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
"Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic, so there weren't any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back, and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
"So, it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it's even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue."
Silva has worked under a variety of managers during his time at Chelsea, including Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, who brought him to the club.
"The way in which I came here, with the support of the club, I got to be a leader of the club having arrived as the new guy," Silva continued.
"It's always difficult to integrate, but bit by bit, I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that, so I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva will be hoping to bid farewell to Chelsea on a high note by propelling them to European qualification.
Ederson injury 'doesn't look good', says Guardiola
Pep Guardiola conceded Ederson's injury "doesn't look good" as Manchester City were forced to wait on the severity of the issue.
Ederson had to be taken off at half-time during City's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a victory that took them back to within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
The Brazil international needed treatment on an apparent shoulder injury after a collision with Forest defender Willy Boly.
Ederson was seen with his arm in a sling after full-time at the City Ground.
And Guardiola said: "It doesn't look good. We will see [on Monday] with the doctor."
Stefan Ortega again stepped up in Ederson's absence, with City's number two having performed well when called upon this campaign.
Ortega has made seven Premier League appearances this season, making 16 saves from 22 shots on target faced, giving him a save percentage of 72.7.
Ederson, meanwhile, has a save percentage of 67.1, keeping out 53 of the 79 attempts on target he has faced.
Ortega has a slightly better goals prevented figure of 1.6 compared to Ederson's 1.0.
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