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Earlier this summer, when there was still the feeling that Manchester United might come in for Harry Kane, it was put to one figure at the club that Bayern Munich were very confident of getting him. "They have no experience of dealing with Daniel Levy," came the response. The German champions have since found out the very hard way. Extremely late on in the Kane deal, just as the player was about to board the plane, negotiations were ongoing with Tottenham about the make-up of the final figures. Levy has long been insistent that 80 percent of the overall package should be guaranteed and the total fee should come to £120 million. This has made many people in the football industry roll their eyes, but it all reflects how the chairman has long divided Tottenham fans. The cries of "Levy out" and "get out of our club" grew louder and louder last season, in that gleaming new stadium. Those who back him, and have admittedly been the far quieter party lately, would point to how he has gradually built the club from a glamorous but under-performing name to one of the Premier League's "super clubs" with the best infrastructure in Europe. They were included in the Super League, after all. Levy is clearly adept at long-term macro business strategy. Those who criticise him, and many of the fans would not even give him the credit for the business side, say this is constantly undercut by a short-term misunderstanding of football. The entire Kane saga has almost encapsulated all of this. While Levy may get the maximum price, it could come at the cost of being able to prepare properly from a purely football perspective. That is far from the first time that has been said. As one figure involved in negotiations said, "it's almost impossible to get a star out of Spurs much before 31 August". It was similar with Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and now - the one the club and fans value above all of them - Kane. Levy seeks to get absolutely everything out of the deal, cranking up the pressure as he himself remains unmoved. Carrick once explained exactly what that was like. The midfielder was in a similar position to Kane in the summer of 2016, when he felt he had to leave for Manchester United to fulfil his talent. Carrick got so frustrated with Levy's refusal to deal with the Old Trafford hierarchy, though, that he decided to call the Spurs chairman himself. The repeated message back was simple. “Well, they need to pay the money,” Levy said. “It was all about the money for Daniel, just driving the price up and up,” Carrick wrote in his autobiography. “Arguing with Daniel was pointless. I would have got more joy talking to a brick wall.” Carrick appealed again, and got the same response again. “Well, they need to pay the money.” Bayern are finding similar. A big question is whether this singular approach becomes self-defeating, especially when viewed from the other side. Those who know Mauricio Pochettino say that he still has huge regrets that he didn't make his Spurs the force that Liverpool became, and puts it down to a refusal by the club to properly spend in 2017-18. The two clubs were then at a similar level but that was the point when Jurgen Klopp went big on Alisson and Virgil van Dijk. Pochettino had requested some of the names that Liverpool wanted - including Sadio Mane - but Levy felt it was better to build in a sustainable way, with an emphasis on youth. The paths diverged. Liverpool went on to win the title and the Champions League, beating Spurs in the final. While Spurs went stale and Pochettino was eventually sacked. So many involved feel that it was a huge missed opportunity, that in large part came from Levy's failure to understand there are key points when teams need further investment to reap much more. There was a similar theme with Spurs’ sales. The Argentine had felt as early as 2017 that the team needed an overhaul and that it could actually be damaging to keep players around because of that danger of staleness. Levy insisted on huge prices for those like Danny Rose, though, and never got them. The team never refreshed. It almost represented a classic false economy. Those who defend Levy - and there are many in the game - would insist that is because he simply has to take an even longer-term view. The proof is in how Spurs have grown, and that stadium. Sources involved in the Super League say it was his business acumen that got Spurs into it since other executives wanted him but not the club. This is the contrast that feeds into how divisive he is. Levy gets the business side. He doesn't get the football side. This can become an issue when, as many sources say, he gets so hands-on in deals. The three immediate successors to Pochettino were all bad appointments, that just didn't fit with what Spurs were. They represented deviations from the club's philosophy. A perception has been that Levy got too distracted by big names - especially Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte - forgetting what Spurs were. A place for up-and-coming players and managers to make their name; since they are not yet in that truly elite bracket of clubs. Others in football who are more critical of Levy would go even further. They say a lot of this is about "ego"; that he needs to be involved; that he needs to get the best deals. A common view is this can be self-defeating for Spurs, because it affects football preparation. Take the Kane negotiations, to come full circle. Levy has long been adamant that he absolutely does not want to sell to an English club, because they are Spurs' competitors. That has long put off United, who just didn't want to get into protracted and frustrated negotiations with Levy again. But what has that resulted in? Had Spurs accepted the reality, which is that they are a level below United, they could have generated an auction that brought even more money. That's how valuable Kane is. Bayern will have to pay the price. The wonder is whether it also comes at some cost to Spurs and not just because they're losing one of their all-time greats. Follow all the latest on our Premier League transfers live blog Read More Fantasy Premier League: 30 players you must consider for 2023/24 season Premier League LIVE: Harry Kane ‘stopped on way to Stansted airport’ as Bayern Munich move halted Premier League 2023/24 predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich move in doubt after Tottenham last-minute U-turn Premier League record scorers: How many goals do Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have? Premier League LIVE: Kane to Bayern hit by delay and transfer updates

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Chelsea remain confident in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo despite Liverpool's interest and Brighton's deadline, believing they have a superior offer to the player and that they can trump the Anfield club on price. The race has created another sub-plot to Sunday's meeting between the two teams at Stamford Bridge, as both clubs have gone for Caicedo and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, in what almost appears a response to the other. Liverpool agreed a fee with Brighton on Thursday night, as confirmed by Jurgen Klopp, but it is felt by Chelsea that the 21-year-old Caicedo’s preference is to go to London. The Stamford Bridge hierarchy have indicated they are willing to go higher than Liverpool on price, which currently stands at a Premier League record of £110m. The big question is whether Brighton will accept that given they set a deadline of Thursday night for bids, but the likelihood is that money talks. Chelsea had made Caicedo their top midfield target in an area that needs strengthening, which is one reason he is so enthused on the move. Liverpool have yet to agree personal terms with the player. Read More Premier League LIVE: Harry Kane ‘stopped on way to Stansted airport’ as Bayern Munich move halted Liverpool set to break British transfer record with £110m Moises Caicedo deal Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich move in doubt after Tottenham last-minute U-turn

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Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee in the region of £110million for Moises Caicedo as Jurgen Klopp attempts to reinforce his midfield on the eve of the new Premier League season. The PA news agency understands Liverpool have swooped in and had a substantial offer accepted for the 21-year-old Ecuador international, who was attracting significant interest from Chelsea this summer. Brighton held firm on their valuation of a player who joined them for just £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in 2021, and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea will match Liverpool’s bid. The fee is upwards of the previous British record of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January and dwarfs Liverpool’s own highest transfer payment of £75m for Virgil van Dijk in 2018. Klopp has seen Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and James Milner depart the club this summer but Liverpool have signed Caicedo’s former Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister for £35m in June. The Reds have also brought in Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig but, after missing out on Jude Bellingham – who joined Real Madrid in June in a deal that could rise to £115m with add-ons – Klopp is keen to get the Caicedo transfer over the line. Ahead of Sunday’s trip to Chelsea for both sides’ Premier League opener, Klopp said: “I can confirm the deal with (Brighton) is agreed, whatever that means because we want the player and not any kind of agreement, we will see. “We are club that doesn’t have endless resources, we didn’t expect a couple of things happening in the summer, like Henderson and Fabinho (leaving), stuff like this. “We didn’t think about that before the summer, to be honest, and then it happened. We gave (attempting to sign Bellingham) a go and the club was really stretched. We will see (what happens with Caicedo).” As for whether Caicedo will undergo a medical in Merseyside on Friday or if signing the youngster would be Liverpool’s final business of the summer window, Klopp was tight-lipped. “I’ve said what I know,” he added. “Let’s do it step by step, let’s see what happens in the next hours or days.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Talking points as England host Wales in World Cup warm-up Best is yet to come – Mary Earps sure England will improve for Colombia clash Liverpool set to break British transfer record with £110m Moises Caicedo deal

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted he cannot just “slap money on the table” as he attempts to find the last piece of his jigsaw for the new season. The Magpies, backed by their majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have invested a net £95milion in Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento at the expense of the departed Allan Saint-Maximin this summer but Howe is keen to add one more player to his resources, with central defence a remaining focus. However, the 45-year-old knows the club may have to be “creative” to get another deal over the line in an attempt to plot a path through Financial Fair Play regulations, with loans and staggered payments among the options. Asked what that meant on the eve of the new Premier League season’s opener against Aston Villa, Howe said: “It means we can’t just go out and slap money on the table and buy a player. We don’t have the resources to do that at the moment with FFP restrictions. “It’s about trying to find a different way rather than paying money in the here and now.” Newcastle have strengthened their squad significantly after last season’s top-four finish, which secured a return to Champions League football, but Howe is hopeful there is another deal to be done. He said: “I’d love one more player, that’s what I’d love personally, and I think then we’d have the ideal depth at this moment with the injuries that we currently have.” I have said my ultimate emotion that I use is fear of failure. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe The Magpies’ surge back into the upper reaches of the league table came less than two years into the new ownership’s reign and took many by surprise, despite the £250million spending spree which helped to fuel it. They were able to take advantage of below-par showings from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, and are likely to face a tougher challenge this time around with TV pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher predicting they will not even make the top six this season. Asked if that provided added motivation, Howe brushed that aside and said: “Ultimately people will always write us off, and I urge us all to come together and to fight tooth and nail to prove people wrong – and in my job you have to prove people wrong every single day. “I have said my ultimate emotion that I use is fear of failure. Some people might see that as negative, but it’s fuelled me all my career and to work as hard as I can to make sure we don’t suffer that experience.” Howe could hand Tonali, Barnes and Livramento competitive debuts against Villa, while defender Fabian Schar is back in contention after a thigh injury. However, midfielder Joe Willock is likely to be missing until the middle of next month with the hamstring problem he suffered last season. Howe said: “I think we’ll probably miss him for the first group of games before the first international break.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Moises Caicedo record £110m fee is agreed for Liverpool switch – Jurgen Klopp Talking points as England host Wales in World Cup warm-up Best is yet to come – Mary Earps sure England will improve for Colombia clash

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Jurgen Klopp has urged caution over Liverpool’s move for Moises Caicedo after agreeing a British record deal worth a reported £110 million. Chelsea had led the race to sign the Brighton star, but the Reds moved quickly on Wednesday in a bid to bolster their midfield. Klopp admits Jordan Henderson and Fabinho’s departures changed the landscape of the transfer window at Anfield, leaving them in a position to push for the Ecuadorian. Klopp said: “I can confirm the deal that the club has agreed, I don’t know what it means exactly, the player and agreement we will see. “What changes is we have not endless resources, we didn’t expect a couple of things happening, Hendo, Fab and then it happened and we give it a go and the club was really stretched. We will see in the end. “I have told you what I know. Besides that we cannot share, don’t praise the day before the night. Let’s see what happens.” More to follow... Read More Liverpool agree £110m deal to sign Moises Caicedo in British transfer record Chelsea make Romeo Lavia bid in attempt to beat Liverpool in transfer race Chelsea make Moises Caicedo breakthrough as Brighton talks continue

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Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee in the region of £110million for Moises Caicedo as the Reds look to shore up their midfield on the eve of the new season. The 21-year-old has been on Chelsea’s radar and the Blues – who will take on Liverpool in both sides’ Premier League opener on Sunday – were thought of as front-runners to sign the Ecuador international. But Brighton have held firm in their valuation of a player who joined them for just £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle two years ago and now the Reds are now poised to sweep in. The PA news agency understands Liverpool, who are aiming to reinforce their options in the middle of the park following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho this summer, will pay upwards of the previous British record fee of £107m that Chelsea forked out for Enzo Fernandez in January. The fee for Caicedo dwarfs Liverpool’s own transfer record of £75m, which they paid Southampton for defender Virgil van Dijk in January 2018. Should Caicedo complete the move, he will be reunited with fellow midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentinian World Cup winner who left the Seagulls for Anfield in June. Liverpool have also signed Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig this summer after the departures of Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live