On Monday night, Harry Kane was awarded the 2026 Ballon d’Or after a stunning year with Bayern Munich and England. It’s a long way from almost joining Leeds United in 2013.

Kane, now 33, beat Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe to become the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen. It comes after scoring 73 goals during the 2025-26 season for club and country.

This season, Kane has continued his magnificent form, netting 16 goals in 16 games for Bayern and the Three Lions this season, as well as laying on nine assists. Deservedly so, Kane won the Ballon d’Or.

But it could have been very different. Back in 2013-14, Leeds had Brian McDermott in charge while Kane was struggling to make it at Spurs, going on a series of loans. Leeds made a bid to sign him permanently.

Tim Sherwood denied Leeds from signing Harry Kane

David Magrone worked as a scout at Tottenham between 2012 and 2014. Speaking to The Mirror in 2017, he recalled how Kane was inches away from completing a move to Leeds – but Tim Sherwood stepped in.

McDermott led Leeds from the end of the 2012-13 season to the summer of 2014, when Massimo Cellino sacked him. At Tottenham, Sherwood was placed in charge between December 2013 and May 2014.

Magrone recalls how Leeds made a bid, likely to be in January 2014 judging by Sherwood’s spell as boss. Sherwood had given Kane his Spurs debut and urged Levy to keep him, instead of accepting Leeds’ bid.

“There was serious consideration among the hierarchy to let him go to Leeds because he’d been out on loan and had never really set the world on fire. But Tim [Sherwood] knew he was a Premier League player.

“[He] really didn’t want to let him go, even if the chairman [Daniel Levy] possibly did. Harry’s desire to dig and prove himself and Tim’s belief in him that stopped him going (when the offer came in),” he said.

Kane made the right decision to stay at Tottenham

At the time, it might have been a tricky decision for Kane. The chance to join one of England’s biggest sides outside of the Premier League, where he would have got plenty of game time. But he stayed put.

Obviously, it was the right move. He has become a Tottenham, England and Bayern Munich icon, with Sherwood’s decision justified even further on Monday. Two years later, Leeds finally got promoted.

Kane has scored five goals in eight career appearances against Leeds, and is currently keeping Dominic Calvert-Lewin out of the England side. But it was great to see Kane recognised for his achievements.