Stefan Borson: Tottenham were ‘offered Harry Kane sweetener’, the docs have 'arrived in my inbox'
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(Credit: Imago/Getty Images)
James Murray
Tue 26 August 2025 18:00, UK
Audi was prepared to offer Tottenham a sweetener in Bayern Munich’s deal to sign Harry Kane after new documents have been revealed.
Spurs are currently locked in a legal battle with INEOS after the petrochemicals company exited a sponsorship deal with the club three years into a five-year agreement.
INEOS, which is spearheaded by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, first partnered with Tottenham in 2020 after agreeing to become their official hand sanitiser and 4×4 vehicle partners before the deal was expanded in 2022.
Tottenham are seeking just over £11million, which includes £5.5million for missed payments last year, another £5.3milllion for the 2026-27 campaign, the final year of the sponsorship deal, and an additional £300,000 in interest.
Tottenham are suing Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS (Credit: Imago)
This article contains exclusive comment from Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser to Man City.
The Telegraph reported on 20 August INEOS is counter-suing Tottenham for more than £1million after accusing them of holding sponsorship talks with German manufacturer Audi linked to the sale of Kane to Bayern Munich.
In a counter-claim submitted to the High Court, the British firm said: “The particulars of claim make no mention of a highly significant series of events by which the club, unbeknown to INEOS, started negotiating with a major competitor to INEOS with the intention of granting rights to that competitor which were exclusive to INEOS under the agreement.”
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It added: “On or around 3 August 2023 (i.e. early in contract year two), Todd Kline of the club indicated to Ashley Reed of INEOS that the club had been in discussions with the German car manufacturer Audi AG in connection with rights which were the same as, or substantially similar to, the rights granted to INEOS under the agreement and/or the club had been negotiating with Audi in respect of rights which were exclusive to INEOS under clause 4 of the agreement.
But it appears that there are some interesting commercial details disclosed in there, including that Audi, as an 8 per cent shareholder of Bayern Munich, were prepared to sweeten the Kane deal by offering a sponsorship with Tottenham, which is an interesting connection that we weren’t previously aware happened within these transfer deals.
“So, I’m intrigued to read what INEOS claim in terms of that situation.
“So, we won’t find out very much more of the juicy details within a court judgment, unfortunately, because those are usually quite insightful in terms of the commercial processes within organisations, because if there’s one place you can’t really lie about how your processes work or the negotiations you had or the size of contracts, it is in court.
“So, when you then get those judgments, they tend to have information that’s true and insightful.”
Tottenham are being counter-sued by INEOS (Credit: Imago)
In terms of transfer activity, Football Insider revealed on 25 August Tottenham are readying a late-window move to sign Morgan Rogers after holding preliminary discussions over his availability.