This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton & Hove Albion and more

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Today’s top stories

• Jurgen Klopp may have 2025 managerial job lined up…
• Will Dani Olmo move to Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham or Manchester City?
• Latest on Bayern’s managerial shortlist to replace Thomas Tuchel…
• And further updates on Roberto De Zerbi, Edmond Tapsoba, Harry Kane and more!

Xabi Alonso’s announcement that he is staying at Leverkusen has an impact on two of the biggest clubs in England and Germany. Both Liverpool FC and FC Bayern now have to look for new solutions. Liverpool seem to have already found them with Ruben Amorim from Sporting Lisbon. At FC Bayern we’re not quite there yet. Leverkusen can now plan for the new season.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

So far, the league leaders have a strong squad from positions one to 18. If Jonathan Tah stays, another central defender may want to leave to play at another club: Piero Hincapié (22). The Ecuadorian is being courted by English clubs like Tottenham. Transfer fee: at least €40m, which Simon Rolfes and Xabi Alonso could immediately invest in the new team.

Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen – (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Edmond Tapsoba (25) can decide for himself whether to change: He has an exit clause in his contract, which he extended until 2028 last September. The central defender has the highest fixed sum of all Bundesliga players: €100m! However, Leverkusen is firmly planning on Tapsoba.

Likewise, Alonso and sporting director Rolfes are working on a shared future with Jeremie Frimpong. His contract until 2028 also contains an exit clause. The wing player can go for €40m. The clause would have to be activated before the start of the European Championship in June. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester United have registered their interest in the Dutchman. The management of Frimpong is already in concrete talks with United and Bayern.

The strong midfield with stars like Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka (31), Exequiel Palacios (25) and Robert Andrich (29) stays together. In attack, however, there is at least one exit.

Loan striker Borja Iglesias (31), who was brought in in January after the now-recovered Victor Boniface (23) was injured, is returning to Betis Sevilla. Adam Hlozek (21), who was unable to assert himself at Bayer in his second year, is a candidate for sale. The Portuguese star Francisco Trincão (24) is being discussed as a new striker. FC Barcelona signed him from Braga in 2020 for €30m. In 2023 he moved permanently to Portugal’s leaders Sporting Lisbon. Contract until 2026, transfer fee under €15m. He could upgrade the squad and become an alternative for Boniface and Patrik Schick (28). In 2024, Trincão scored six goals and added four goals.

From England, Crysencio Summerville (22) from Leeds United is currently a candidate for the offensive team, from France talent Tidiam Gomis (17) from Caen.

FC BAYERN

FC Bayern is still a bit in shock after Alonso’s cancellation. That changes everything in the search for a successor to Thomas Tuchel. Suddenly Julian Nagelsmann, who was the coach in Munich until 2023, is the top favorite. Nagelsmann can decide: either he extends his contract as Germany’s national coach or he goes back to FC Bayern. The national team already has a plan B: If Nagelsmann cancels, the association wants to try to get Jürgen Klopp in 2025. Then he would have enough time for his sabbatical year and another year of preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Sandro Wagner, currently Nagelsmann’s assistant, could take over as boss for a year. However: Wagner would also have the option of going to Munich with Nagelsmann.

There are three candidates behind Nagelsmann: Ralf Rangnick, coach of Austria, Roger Schmidt, coach of Benfica Lisbon, and Roberto de Zerbi. When it comes to de Zerbi, the Munich bosses are not sure whether he is a good fit for the club. The Italian is considered difficult. He does not speak German. And he wants to bring a large team of assistants with him. But: The bosses like the football Brighton plays. Sports director Max Eberl has already made contact. De Zerbi seems interested. Bayern now has to decide.

The bosses want to try everything to ensure that Thomas Tuchel can finish the season. The 2-2 draw against Arsenal helps. If there was embarrassment, there would have been a risk of dismissal. However, there are currently no plans to bring in interim solutions like those discussed in Miro Klose and Hermann Gerland.

Important for Bayern when it comes to the squad: Harry Kane has finally put an end to speculation that he was dissatisfied at Bayern and wanted to leave the club in the summer. The striker wants to win titles with Bayern. If it doesn’t work this season, then the next one. But his big dream remains to win the Champions League at Wembley.

RB LEIPZIG

Dani Olmo (25) is finally really fit after a lot of bad luck with injuries. Olmo has an exit clause in his contract, which runs until 2027: the playmaker can leave early in the summer for €60m.

Olmo is currently looking at England. His release clause would not be a hurdle for the rich Premier League clubs. The hottest lead at the moment leads to Manchester City. Olmo is on the list at the Sheikh Club.

The super technician would fit in with Pep Guardiola’s (53) team and football. Compatriot Olmos is probably entering his last season in Manchester and will want to leave a well-developed field. Especially since he currently only has a mini-squad available. Leipzig and Man City maintain very good contacts. Most recently, Josko Gvardiol (22) moved to the island and became the most expensive defender in the world at €90m.

But City has competition: Tottenham also has their eye on Olmo, as do Manchester United and Chelsea FC. However, both clubs would probably not be a good choice at the moment due to their sporting imbalance.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Dani Olmo looking at England, Alonso braced for Leverkusen exodus & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and more

FC Bayern is once again the club that is drawing the attention of the football world to the Bundesliga this week. Because: The search for a successor to Thomas Tuchel could trigger a coaching domino in Germany but also in Europe. Premier League clubs and coaches are also affected.

Today’s top stories

• Truth of Bayern’s “contact” with Alonso and Liverpool’s talks with Xabi’s agent…
• Leverkusen have Real Madrid legend on shortlist of potential managerial successors for Alonso…
• Could one Championship boss be heading to the Bundesliga?
• And further updates on Hansi Flick, Jurgen Klopp, Sebastian Hoeneß and more!

BAYERN MUNICH

Thomas Tuchel will leave FC Bayern in the summer and his contract, which runs until 2025, will be terminated. The coach is not leaving Munich voluntarily and therefore does not want to take a break. Although he is also on the list at FC Barcelona, ​​he is more interested in the Premier League. I’ve already reported that he always wanted to coach Manchester United. But what is surprising is that Thomas Tuchel could also imagine returning to Chelsea. His time in London was the happiest of his career. By now the new management should also have realised that parting ways with Tuchel was perhaps a mistake. The question is whether the relationship with Todd Boehly can be restored. My colleague Tobias Altschäffl shared a rumour in the current episode of my podcast “Bayern Insider” that Tuchel referred to the American as “Ted Lasso” during an emotional discussion. Lasso is the hero of the American comedy series of the same name, which has many fans. Whether Boehly found the comparison funny is at least doubtful.

The successors to Tuchel are now being discussed at FC Bayern. Xabi Alonso is still Munich’s dream coach. But – despite many reports – there were still no negotiations between Bayern and Alonso. What speaks for it: When Liverpool contacted Iñaki Ibáñez, Alonso’s agent, the agent immediately communicated the Reds’ interest to those in charge at Leverkusen. That didn’t happen in the case of Bayern. FC Bayern is still waiting for a signal from Alonso as to whether he can imagine a move to Munich. As soon as that happens, they would start negotiations.

Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton is also considered a candidate at FC Bayern. The new head of sports, Max Eberl, finds the Italian very interesting. However: In Munich they are not prepared for a coach to take a large team of assistants with him. That could be an obstacle. It is also a problem that de Zerbi does not speak German.

Another candidate from abroad: Roger Schmidt from Benfica Lisbon.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

The bosses of Leverkusen also have to think about the case if Xabi Alonso can imagine a future at Liverpool or FC Bayern. Two coaches on the list sound particularly exciting: Sebastian Hoeneß, who is also on the list at FC Bayern. And Raul. He is Spanish like Alonso and a Real legend. Raul is currently coaching the Madrid second team. He understands German from his time at Schalke (2010 to 2012).

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Coach Edin Terzic (41) also has to fear for his job. Julian Nagelsmann is considered the candidate to succeed him. He is currently the German national coach. And this is where Jürgen Klopp comes into play. The farewell to Klopp naturally makes Reds fans sad, but in Germany it increases hope for Klopp to take over the national team. There is still no decision as to whether Julian Nagelsmann and the DFB will continue their cooperation beyond the European Championship.

Klopp would be the wish of almost all Germans. But since he wants to take a year off, there is now a new consideration in the association. Sandro Wagner, Nagelsmann’s current assistant, could bridge the year as an interim solution until Klopp takes over. There would still be a year until the 2026 World Cup. And Nagelsmann could return to club football. In addition to Dortmund, FC Barcelona is also said to be interested in Nagelsmann.

FC BARCELONA

Hansi Flick is no longer an issue at FC Bayern. Flick himself would also prefer to take on the job at FC Barcelona, ​​where Xavi is leaving in the summer. The commitment of star consultant Pini Zahavi could pay off for Hansi Flick. The Israeli, who has his office in London, doesn’t just have the best contacts in the Premier League. One of his closest friends is Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona. Zahavi recently spent several days in Barcelona and met Laporta to talk to him about Flick. Flick is already learning Spanish. With Ilkay Gündogan, Marc-André ter Stegen and Robert Lewandowski, he knows some key players from the DFB and Bayern Munich. With Lewandowski he has a great advocate internally.

VFB STUTTGART

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß is also a candidate at FC Bayern, as well as at Leverkusen. That’s why the people of Stuttgart also have to create a list of alternatives. Interesting from an English perspective: Northern Irish coach Kieran McKenna (37) from Ipswich Town is a candidate from the Championship.

VFL WOLFSBURG

Niko Kovac has been the coach at VfL Wolfsburg since 2022. It is very likely that he will have to leave in the summer despite having a contract until 2025. It’s a similar situation to Thomas Tuchel’s at FC Bayern. Ralph Hasenhüttl, who worked at Southampton, and Matthias Jaissle from al-Ahli are considered potential successor candidates.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Liverpool contact Alonso’s agent, Klopp to Germany? Stuttgart like Championship coach & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and more

Today’s top stories

• Could Liverpool or Manchester United steal one top sporting director from the Bundesliga?
• Why Roberto De Zerbi screamed at 13-goal Bundesliga striker for half an hour at Brighton
• And further updates on Jadon Sancho, Leroy Sane, Kylian Mbappe and more!

BUNDESLIGA

The Bundesliga has long been considered the “Farmer’s League” for England. But times have changed! The Bundesliga is now the “rehabilitation league” for players who have failed in the Premier League. The fans in Germany can be just as happy as the managers: the Bundesliga is getting quality back and making a profit at the same time! The most prominent example is of course Jadon Sancho. And there are also many interesting transfer developments that affect both the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

BAYERN MUNICH

It is said that Manchester United and perhaps also Liverpool FC have their eye on Christoph Freund in their search for a new sporting director. But: FC Bayern’s new sports director just came from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer. He had previously rejected an offer from Chelsea in the past. For all English people who can’t estimate the distance between Munich and Salzburg: it’s an hour and a half on the highway, we call “Autobahn”. Freund’s family continues to live in Salzburg. Freund is happy that his job is at a top international club and yet not far from his family. That’s why he’s not interested in the current speculation from England.

Liverpool FC could have better luck with a player of FC Bayern. Leroy Sané (27) is aware that he is on the Reds’ list if Mohamed Salah leaves for Saudi Arabia. His contract in Munich runs until 2025. His future is open. He changed also his management a few weeks ago. He doesn’t rule out a transfer in the summer. But I heard that Liverpool can also imagine not selling their star man to Saudi despite the high offers from Al Hilal. The Reds bought him from Roma in 2017 for just £42m. Salah more than paid back the money. From this point of view of Liverpool, they could cope with letting Salah leave without a fee in 2025 if he really does not extend his contract.

Bitter for Liverpool: Kylian Mbappé is said to have seriously considered a move to Liverpool. I heard that working with Jürgen Klopp is said to have appealed to the star from France. His thought: Klopp would have made him an even better player. With Klopp’s departure, this argument no longer exists. Liverpool should now definitely be out of the race.

BARCELONA

Hansi Flick is already learning Spanish, because he is keen on the Barca job. His chance: Brighton will demand a fee for Roberto de Zerbi, as they did with Graham Potter. Chelsea paid €17.4m. A lot of money for Barca, which they don‘t really have at the moment. Flick would be a free agent.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Jadon Sancho (23) is already a decisive factor at Dortmund after just a few weeks. When he wasn’t in the squad due to muscular problems against Heidenheim, there was a disappointing 0-0 draw. The Dortmund bosses are all the more hopeful of being able to keep Sancho beyond the loan until next season. But they need his help. Because United’s transfer expectations, which are said to be between £40-50m, are too high for Dortmund. The Dortmund bosses are therefore relying on Sancho to put United under pressure. According to the motto: If you want to sell me, then I’ll just go to Dortmund! Then BVB could definitely push Manchester down in price. The principle already worked with the loan, which was very cheap for Dortmund at €3-4m including salary. But there is also a problem: Sancho himself would also have to forego his salary. Unlike at United, he could only earn a maximum of €10m gross at BVB. In Manchester, he reportedly gets almost twice as much.

Giovanni Reyna (21) could help Sancho. The offensive player was only loaned to Nottingham because there was no offer to buy him. That’s why his contract was extended until 2026. Reyna will not be brought back in the summer, but will be sold. The income would also help with the Sancho deal.

The case of Ian Maatsen (21) is even more difficult. The purchase clause of €35m in his contract from Chelsea is also too expensive for Dortmund. If he continues to impress in Dortmund until the summer, Dortmund will try to make Chelsea an offer that is cheaper. Chelsea would have to accommodate BVB for a transfer.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT

Frankfurt also hope to do good business with Donny van der Beek (26). United transferred the sum of €39m to Ajax Amsterdam in 2022. Thanks to a purchase clause, Frankfurt should be able to buy van de Beek for just €10-15m in the summer. But the Dutchman would also have to forego his salary. The top earners in Frankfurt are Kevin Trapp (33) and Mario Götze (31) with up to €3.5m gross per year. That’s just half what van de Beek is supposed to earn at Manchester.

One decision this week shows that van de Beek is not yet irreplaceable at Frankfurt: van de Beek was not registered for the 24-man squad for the Conference League. The new strikers Sasa Kalajdzic (26) – perhaps the next good deal for the Bundesliga from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers – and Hugo Ekitiké (21) as well as left-back Philipp Max (29) were more important to coach Dino Topmöller. Van de Beek showed good signs in his first three appearances for Eintracht. But overall it wasn’t enough. Against 1. FC Köln, van de Beek wasn’t even substituted on. The months-long break in play at former club Manchester United is apparently still having an impact.

VFB STUTTGART

Stuttgart can be happy: VfB has so far made the best loan deal from England with Brighton & Hove Albion. Deniz Undav (27) is currently the top German goalscorer in the Bundesliga with 13 goals. If Stuttgart wants, the striker can also be bought in the summer. The base sum should be €12m. No further clauses are known yet. I met Undav last week in Stuttgart for an interview. He told me that he feels very comfortable in Stuttgart and would like to stay.

With his goals, he can shoot Stuttgart into international competition. That would bring the necessary money into the club’s coffers. In his own words, he has Roberto de Zerbi to thank for his breakthrough. The striker didn’t know what he was doing wrong, when he was in Brighton. That’s why he went to the manager’s office. De Zerbi screamed at him for half an hour, he told me. After that, he knew what he had to change. Undav is still grateful to his former coach for this outburst of anger.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Liverpool’s next sporting director, Salah out Sane in? Kylian Mbappe latest & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and more

Today’s top stories:

• Jurgen Klopp’s impending Liverpool exit has consequences in Germany…
• Newcastle and Chelsea among English clubs lining up for €85m Leipzig attacker
• And further updates on Victor Boniface, Mathys Tel, Serhou Guirassy and more!

BUNDESLIGA

The Bundesliga was a little surprised about their counterparts in the English top-flight. Because the managers of Premier League clubs were very economical in this winter transfer window. The German clubs are all the more prepared for the offensive that could take place next summer with the money saved. Today, I would like to show what offers Bundesliga managers are expecting by that point.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Exequiel Palacios (25) has extended his contract in Leverkusen until 2028. Aston Villa is considered a hot prospect for the summer. The club has already bought Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby from Leverkusen. Manchester City and Newcastle are also said to have the midfielder on their list. Leverkusen is only considered ready for talks at a starting point of €60m.

Odilon Kossouno (23) is considered a highly talented central defender. The interested parties from England include Manchester United and Tottenham. Last summer, Crystal Palace were quite keen on Kossouno. Leverkusen rejected an offer of €28.5m. He has a contract until 2026. Leverkusen are not willing to talk to any interested clubs for less than €50m.

Victor Boniface (23) is currently injured. Nevertheless, his 10 goals in the Bundesliga have already created a market for him. He has a contract until 2028. The striker came from Saint-Gilloise for €16m. One potential suitor for the forward is Chelsea. Leverkusen don’t want to give him up. But from a starting price of €60m one would at least talk. Leverkusen (as announced in the last column) brought Borja Iglesias (31) on loan from Real Betis to act as cover for the injured Boniface.

BAYERN MUNICH

FC Bayern currently prefers to buy in England rather than sell players there. They had success with Harry Kane and Eric Dier, but it didn’t work with Kieran Trippier this winter. Bayern are considering buying Serhou Guirassy from Stuttgart in the summer. In that case, the club would be willing to do a loan deal for Mathys Tel (18). Tottenham have already tried to get the striker in the summer and winter. Both clubs could approach the business again in the summer.

Bayern brought in Bryan Zaragoza (22) from Granada early to replace the injured Kingsley Coman. In addition to Dier and Sacha Boey (23) from Galatasaray, it was the Munich-based outfit’s third winter transfer.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Dortmund will secure a tidy loan fee of €1m as a part of the loan deal of Giovanni Reyna to Nottingham Forest. The relegation-threatened outfit will cover the attacking midfielder’s entire salary (earning roughly €5m per year). U19 talent Kjell Wätjen is set to replace Reyna at Dortmund.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT

Hugo Larsson (19), midfielder, came from Malmö for €9m. He is considered the next big transfer coup after Randal Kolo Muani, who brought Frankfurt €95m from Paris Saint-Germain. The contract of Larsson is valid until 2028. The following premier league clubs are interested: Arsenal and Liverpool. Frankfurt is considered ready for negotiations from €80m.

Omar Marmoush (24) has seven goals in the Bundesliga. He came from Wolfsburg on a free transfer in the summer. He has a contract until 2027. Interested parties from England are: Tottenham and Newcastle. It’s expected he’ll set back an interested club to the amount of €30m.

Frankfurt already has an option for a potential replacement. Striker Hugo Ekitike (21) is coming from PSG to Frankfurt on loan. The club also has a buy option for the striker. Brentford and Burnley were also interested.

HOFFENHEIM

Anton Stach (25) is a sought-after as a “holding six”. If his club fails to qualify for a European competition, there is a risk of a transfer exit for Hoffenheim. From England there is interest from Newcastle, West Ham and Fulham.

Striker Maximilian Beier (21) rejected a move to Brentford in the winter. Watching him for summer: Liverpool, Burnley, and Everton. He has a release clause of €32.5m.

LIVERPOOL

The announced resignation of Jürgen Klopp also has consequences in Germany. Leverkusen are preparing for the possibility of losing coach Xabi Alonso to the Reds. Hansi Flick was actually considered a potential successor. But the former national coach is at the top of FC Barcelona’s list as Xavi’s successor. In Germany, however, people hope that Jürgen Klopp will become the national coach at some point. But the job as England national coach should also appeal to him. Nobody believes that he will never be a coach again. His assistant Peter Krawietz will wait until his boss takes a new job. Pep Lijnders, on the other hand, is interested in finding his own role as a manager.

RB LEIPZIG

Lois Openda (23) is considered unsaleable in Leipzig this summer. But he has an exit clause from 2025 for €85m. Interested parties from England are already lining up: West Ham, Brighton, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Chelsea. The attacker has a contract in Leipzig until 2028.

Benjamin Sesko (20) came in the summer for €24m to Leipzig. AC Milan is currently offering €40m. Arsenal are also watching the attacker. He has an exit clause of €50m (contract until 2028).

VFB STUTTGART

I was sitting in Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle’s office on Deadline Day when it was reported that Fulham had made an offer for forward Silas (25). The Stuttgart boss could only laugh and shake his head at this news.

The new man from Brighton, Mahmoud Dahoud, was sitting in the club restaurant with his agents from “Epic Sports” at the time after the loan deal had worked out. Dahoud should strengthen Stuttgart’s midfield and once again show the quality that made him a national player in Germany. It’s understood that the buy option for the 28-year-old should be €9m.

Serhou Guirassy (27) has not only aroused the interest of FC Bayern. The striker is currently playing in the AFCON. Otherwise, he might have scored more than 17 goals in the Bundesliga as things currently stand. He is still the most prolific striker behind Harry Kane (23 goals). Newcastle is considered a competitor of FC Bayern for his signature. What makes Guirassy so attractive: He has a release clause of €20m for the summer.

WOLFSBURG

Jonas Wind (24) has nine goals and five assists this season. In January 2022 he came for €7m. He has a contract until 2026. Fulham are an interested party, though Wolfsburg would demand at least €50m for his services.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Klopp, Alonso & Liverpool triangle, Tel to Tottenham? Chelsea want €60m Leverkusen star & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

“This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io“

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, West Ham, RB Leipzig and more

BAYERN MUNICH

It’s not clear what will happen with Joshua Kimmich’s future. The club is monitoring him, as he’s not putting in his best performances at the moment. Bayern want to keep him. His current contract runs until 2025 and he’s one of the top earners on €20m-a-year. Now they have to talk about a new contract and the club is saying he can’t get more with these performances. If they can’t find a solution, perhaps both sides will agree to part ways. Kimmich is the only player at Bayern Munich who doesn’t have an agent, but if he were to seek an exit to another country, he would need to change that to make things easier. Barcelona and Premier League clubs are monitoring but he’ll need an agent if he wishes to secure a transfer abroad. I have heard that he has asked around for an agent.

Bayern are optimistic about holding on to Leroy Sane, as he is enjoying his time in Munich. His family is living here now after his house was made ready and he’s putting in better performances as a result. He feels much better in Munich than he did before. Another reason he’d be encouraged to stay is the presence of Harry Kane whom he loves playing with. They both play together like a duo. Leroy Sane is also one of the admirers of Thomas Tuchel. Everything seems to be pointing in the direction of a new contract, but there’s still a question of money to be asked. Leroy Sane earns €20m-a-year, but when he made the transfer around the COVID period, there was the possibility to earn more but the club insisted on him reducing his wage demands at the time. If he asks for more, it could make talks interesting.

Kingsley Coman identifies a great deal with Bayern Munich. I don’t think he wants a transfer away from the club. His German has massively improved and he’s trying to speak it now. Bayern also doesn’t wish to sell him.

The club would consider selling Serge Gnabry in the summer. He’s got a high salary at €19m-a-year, so if they find a club for him, he would be one they’d be prepared to get rid of. It’s why they were happy buying Bryan Zaragoza from Granada. You have to find a club willing to pay his transfer value of €55m, though. It’s a lot of money for a player who is, at the moment, injured and wasn’t in great form prior.

When Hasan Salihamidzic was still working for the club, he had an agreement with Alphonso Davies that he could sign a new contract with a salary of €12m-a-year (at the moment, he earns less!). But since Salihamidzic was fired, there was a long period where talks were paused and now they have resumed the player’s agent is asking for a lot more money, so it’s getting complicated. It doesn’t help that the defender is also out of form. Real Madrid are strongly interested in him. He’s one player Bayern Munich could lose this summer.

Ronald Araujo could use Bayern’s interest for the contract poker with his own club, Barcelona. He wants a new contract with the Catalan giants; I heard he wants to stay. Thomas Tuchel and Bayern’s sporting director, Christopher Freund, tried to pursue him with a video call last Friday. He didn’t say yes or no, and no-one talked about this conversation, as you can’t talk to a player who’s in contract. Everything is in secret.

Bayern has a centre-back shortlist and on that list is also Clement Lenglet of Aston Villa (on loan from Barcelona). He’s currently on the bench but Bayern think they could easily have him. Perhaps if Barcelona keep hold of Araujo they’ll let Bayern have Lenglet. There’s also Arnau Martinez of Girona and Giorgio Scalvini of Atalanta. For this position, Araujo would be first choice but it’s really hard to get him.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Piero Hincapie could be an interesting option for potential suitors again. I’ve heard that he has a release clause of €70m. That’s why he could re-emerge on the table for Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Newcastle. We heard Milan and Roma are also interested in the Leverkusen player.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

I don’t think Borussia Dortmund is the favoured target of Serhou Guirassy. He would like to join the Premier League. The VfB Stuttgart forward has a release clause of €17.5m, and what is interesting is that Stuttgart wanted to buy this clause but he rejected the opportunity. He’s now pushing for a transfer, so it’s very likely that Manchester United and Newcastle are now the favourites to land the player.

Talks were had between Donyell Malen’s representatives and Dortmund over his future since he changed agents and the club isn’t confident in Malen. He can leave the club for €30m, so if there is interest from the Premier League, they would talk with any interested club. He’s up for sale in January.

FULHAM

Bayern heard that Liverpool are concretely interested in Joao Palhinha so things are getting complicated already ahead of the January transfer window. They don’t have the money at the moment to commit to many big transfers and signing a centre-back is the priority. So, perhaps they might move away from the idea of signing him in the winter if Liverpool are also involved in the poker. They do have one alternative in mind in Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad. He could be the next choice if Palhinha is off the market.

LIVERPOOL

I heard that Liverpool are still monitoring Maximilian Beier. He’s got a release clause of over €32.5m. I heard Liverpool are watching him but they’re not sure whether he would help them immediately. So, I think Brighton’s interest is comparatively more concrete, and there’s interest from Brentford and Nottingham Forest on top of that.

He can play on the flanks as well as centrally, he’s done it already. It’s a little bit like Thomas Muller in the sense that he’s not exactly a winger or central striker; he can also play behind the No.9, so he’s quite a versatile footballer. He’s very, very fast as well, so that would suit Liverpool, but he’s not the first choice.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Talks between Donny van de Beek and Frankfurt are very concrete. The only talking point now is the salary; it’s said that the player earns €7m at United, which is too high for Frankfurt. They will have to find an alternative solution, one of which being getting the player on reduced wages, and the other being United covering some of the salary for Frankfurt. Frankfurt are very optimistic that this deal could work out.

RB LEIPZIG

There was the idea that Timo Werner could return to his former club Stuttgart. If Guirassy departs, Werner could be an ideal substitute for their departing star, but as long as Guirassy is still there, it’s not so concrete.

There have also been talks with Timo Werner, so Leipzig and the player don’t think something will happen in the winter. All rumours from the Premier League are not to be taken seriously because Werner hasn’t had the best experience in England and he’s not currently in great form. At the moment he doesn’t think it would be the best next step to improve his performances.

WEST HAM

Thilo Kehrer is in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt. It could be a very interesting solution for Kehrer. They are one of several clubs involved in talks. One name I can also say is that of FC Sevilla who are also involved in the poker. I’m confident that he will make a move in the winter window, though it’s not clear to which league.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Liverpool watching €30m speed demon, Kimmich latest & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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BAYERN MUNICH

Manuel Neuer’s career may not end in 2025. He wants to get back to the level he was prior to the year he lost to injury. He hasn’t even ruled out playing in the 2026 World Cup. What makes the extension interesting is the future of Thomas Müller who also wants to extend his contract until 2025. But if FC Bayern offers a lesser salary, he can also imagine a transfer away from the club. I last reported about the interest from Manchester United last winter but the Bundesliga clubs also have an eye on Müller, as do the clubs from Italy. Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus Turin are said to be closely monitoring Müller’s situation.

Waldemar Anton could become a player for the German national team. But FC Bayern is not interested at the moment. It’s different with Ronald Araujo. The bosses of Bayern have held preliminary discussions. The interest was great. However, after these conversations, they have almost no hope left. The player apparently wants to stay in Spain. An extension with FC Barcelona is currently being prepared. Bayern are therefore looking for more defenders in Spain.

Florian Wirtz is currently the hottest stock on the German market. At FC Bayern they were very annoyed that he had extended his contract until 2027. FC Bayern really wants the player, but the new contract makes him very expensive. Leverkusen doesn’t want to sell him for less than €100m-€120m. This is also difficult for FC Bayern. A good player would have to be sold for this. If FC Bayern does not agree on a new contract with Leroy Sané, that would open a door for Wirtz in Munich. The player would like to take the next step in the Bundesliga. This means for the Premier League clubs that he is probably not ready for them yet. Bayern would like to bring him in later so that he would be cheaper then. But if another club becomes interested in Wirtz, Bayern would have to act.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is really hot at Dortmund and played a prominent role in their 4-2 win over Gladbach with a goal and assist. Possibly the next BVB superstar came from Manchester City in 2022 for just €90,000 in training compensation. If he continues to play well, his current market value of €18m will explode within the next few years – it could be Dortmund’s biggest deal of all time. The club hopes that he will achieve a larger transfer fee than former BVB players Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham.

GERMANY

Julian Nagelsmann will have a difficult time until March because he won’t be able to work with the team for that long. What is striking is that the same accusations come from the team as they once did at FC Bayern. The players find that Nagelsmann overloads them with too much information. The trainer speaks too quickly in the sessions. He doesn’t explain enough to the professionals in a personal conversation. The fact that Kai Havertz was told to play at left-back came as a surprise to many players and was not explained enough in the sessions.

The head coach also has a few construction sites that he urgently needs to close. He took Joshua Kimmich’s place in the first-XI. Of course, the Bayern professional doesn’t like that and could cause trouble. However, Kimmich also currently lacks standing in the club. It cannot be ruled out that FC Bayern and Kimmich part ways. His contract only runs until 2025. Like Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel has also questioned the player. Both coaches do not see Kimmich as a “holding Six”. FC Barcelona is very interested in Kimmich. If he comes onto the market next summer, some clubs in the Premier League will also look at him. Pep Guardiola is considered a big fan of Kimmich after having initially discovered and promoted him in Munich. The City coach appreciates Kimmich’s versatility as he can play in many positions. But Jürgen Klopp also knows Kimmich’s strengths, which would suit Liverpool FC well. The poker for Kimmich could soon be open.

LIVERPOOL

Leipzig has an advantage over Liverpool when it comes to Assan Ouedraogo. The player’s father was already in negotiations in Leipzig. FC Bayern also met with him, but now know that Leipzig are favorites. The player would like to stay at Schalke, as the move comes too early for him. But if he has to change, it would be better in Germany first. It seems like Liverpool will have to be patient.

MANCHESTER UNITED

It was hard for Jeremie Frimpong that Manchester United didn’t get concrete for his services in the end. Coach Erik ten Hag had high hopes of a transfer that failed to come to fruition. Interest could become more concrete again next summer. The name was also discussed again and again at FC Bayern. However, under former sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, the player wasn’t rated highly enough. That has changed under the new leadership. The name Frimpong could become current. The problem: the player has a new contract until 2028. That could make him too expensive. If Leverkusen plays in the Champions League next year and Xabi Alonso remains coach, he will keep the player.

Neither management nor the club have heard anything about United’s reported interest in Timo Werner. Werner also had bad experiences at Chelsea FC in England. The player is considered very sensitive. He is currently having problems at Leipzig, but first wants to regain his self-confidence. He doesn’t feel ready to move to England at the moment. Newcastle were actually already interested, but that won’t happen this winter either.

NEWCASTLE

As per BILD, AC Milan, Newcastle and Atletico Madrid maintain an interest in Serhou Guirassy. However, none of the clubs in question have officially approached Stuttgart as of yet.

According to my information, Manchester United are also interested in Guirassy. Guirassy is very flattered by the Red Devils’ interest. He doesn’t categorically rule out a change in the winter. He is allowed to leave VfB Stuttgart in the winter because of a release clause of €17.5m. With 15 goals, he is, at the moment, the second-best striker in the Bundesliga after Harry Kane (18).

STUTTGART

It’s true: Hiroki Ito has a release clause of €30m. His club included it in the contract because the player would have liked to move to Ajax Amsterdam last summer. Instead, there was more salary for Ito and the clause. Ito definitely doesn’t want to leave VfB in the winter. He is now concentrating primarily on his rehab in Japan and then on the Asian Cup. He feels comfortable in Stuttgart, which is why he is now finishing the season there. There will be further discussions about his future in the summer.

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Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Fulham, Frankfurt and more

LISTEN to the Debrief here!

Today’s top stories:

• Jurgen Klopp’s plan amid reported Liverpool contract offer
• Plenty of interest in Leroy Sane ahead of crunch Bayern talks
• And further updates on Youssoufa Moukoko, Harry Kane, and more!

BAYERN MUNICH

Harry Kane is feeling very happy in Munich, he’s found his house and will be doing much better when his family is with him. His needs are being fulfilled, everyone admires him, his teammates love him because of his behaviour. He’s doing so well in the team. There is, as I’ve previously mentioned, a ‘matching right’, which allows Tottenham the right of first refusal should Kane move away from Munich at some point in the future. However, I don’t think there’s a chance at the moment of an early exit from Munich, as he’s only at the beginning of his career at Bayern. He wants to win titles at Munich. For him, it’s a big move to leave Tottenham and England but now he’s done it he’s aware of the many advantages that are available to him. He certainly has a bit more freedom when he’s out of the house; the people of Munich are very respectful and he can a little bit more easily. He’s not as central in the focus as he was in England. I don’t think there are any thoughts on his end of leaving Bayern Munich in the next few years.

Liverpool’s interest in Leroy Sane is concrete. You can compare him to the man he might end up replacing at Anfield in Mo Salah; they both have speed and Sane is certainly younger. Bayern Munich are aware of the interest and after the international break they will meet the agents, LIAN Sports Group, to talk about an extension. They really want to keep him and Sane said that Bayern is the first club he will be talking to. His family has arrived in Munich after their new house was built and the player is feeling happy.

Liverpool fans: Is Leroy Sane the ideal Mo Salah replacement if the Egyptian leaves in the summer?

You never know what will happen with such talks. When Sane came to Munich during COVID-19, he was okay with earning €20m a year, but now they will talk about money. It’s always good to have other suitors at the table like Liverpool, but it’s no secret that Barcelona is also quite interested. The big question is whether the Catalan giants have the money! You also have to keep an eye on fellow La Liga outfit Real Madrid who are also interested in him.

Nobody knows what’s going on with Kylian Mbappe who will play a key role in all of this, as Liverpool and Real Madrid are interested, which complicates this transfer carousel ahead of the summer. Bayern will fight to hold on to Sane, but if Salah does move to Saudi Arabia, there will be a big player on the table. We have to watch these names and these three clubs!

The big question around Leroy has always been about his mentality. This was a big discussion with Pep Guardiola. Speaking of which, there were rumours around Manchester City also being interested in the player – I heard this was an option, but I also heard that Sane doesn’t want to go back there. Jurgen Klopp is a coach who can get his players to buy into the work rate you need at Liverpool. This would be an intelligent move for Liverpool to get Sane, as he has everything; if you can add a working mentality to this (which Jurgen Klopp can perhaps give him), he would be perfect for Liverpool. Leroy Sane made a huge development at Bayern Munich regarding his work rate in recent years, tracking back in addition to his offensive output. Now you see why he’s so good now, as he’s also doing this job.

Thomas Muller told us that he wants to play until 2025, and this is a signal to Bayern Munich that ‘now we have to talk’. His contract ends this summer, so we have to see whether Bayern will give him another contract. The surprising thing is he left open what would happen if Bayern says ‘no’. I’m sure Muller will leave the door open to continue elsewhere if need be. In this same story, I noted that Manchester United wanted Muller last winter; it was Erik ten Hag’s idea to add some much-needed experience to their squad. Perhaps it could be an idea again for United this winter! Thomas Muller doesn’t want a long-term contract – he wants one more year. The first thing is Bayern for Muller and if they gave him the money and contract he wants, he’ll stay. If not, he’ll move for the first time in his career. If there’s a club in the Bundesliga playing Champions League football, he could imagine himself there as well. But there aren’t so many playing Champions League and he couldn’t go to Dortmund, so we’re probably in the range of Leverkusen. If United come in again, this would also be very interesting for him.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

I think FC Koln would be a good option for Youssoufa Moukoko and we know they’re definitely interested in him. It would also be good for Germany, as he needs playing time. In the summer there was the option to move over as part of a swap deal with Werder Bremen for Niclas Fullkrug, but this didn’t materialise as Moukoko wanted to stay. Now, however, he’s aware of his lack of playing opportunities amid Fullkrug’s positive form and the availability of Sebastien Haller. So he’s the third-choice option in the striker’s position. I think he has to move, regardless of whether it’s a permanent transfer or a loan, for the benefit of his development. Now, I think, he knows it’s time.

FRANKFURT

Rafiu Durosinmi has a big chance to be the next striker at Frankfurt. There are talks to get him in the Bundesliga. He’s 20 years old, which is always a risk but he’s not the only option. There’s also Roko Simic of RB Salzburg, a very interesting player and there were also talks with the club and with the agents. The agents are based in Frankfurt so that’s not a long way to go for the club! I think it will be a choice between the two strikers, both 20 years old, so you see Frankfurt want to have a striker they can develop into both a financially viable and high-performance option. Gift Orban of Gent is not No.1 on the list anymore. Sheraldo Becker of Union and Fotis Ioannidis of Panathinaikos are also on the list, but I think it will be a toss-up between Simic or Durosinmi. I think Roko Simic would be further ahead in his development, but the decision is Frankfurt’s to make.

FULHAM

Serhou Guirassy is already aware that he can make a move in January as he has a release clause of €17.5m that can be activated at this time. VFB Stuttgart is still fighting for him, but it’s not a lot of money! Not much for the Premier League certainly. In the summer, we already mentioned about his opportunity to go to the UK amid interest from Fulham but he didn’t, as he wanted a better opportunity. I’m not sure Fulham is the right club.

Newcastle United are on the table and might be a more attractive option as a Champions League club. We’ll have to see if he’s still playing for Stuttgart until the summer or if he capitalises on his release clause in the winter. It’s just a question of the offer and Newcastle would be a fine deal for Guirassy.

GERMANY

When Julian Nagelsmann took over the reins at Germany, we’d all hoped for a fresh start and that he’d come in as a young coach with his new ideas and push the national team. After a good start, however, we’ve lost the last two and Nagelsmann’s average is now worse than all national coaches that came before.

We wonder whether he’s making things a little too complicated; there’s always a difference between a club coach and a national coach and he’s putting a great deal of input on the players in a short space of time. He’s not a hugely self-critical person and how Kai Havertz has been used has gone some way to illustrating that. I don’t think Havertz is playing poorly as a left-back in the national side – he’s done it very well for an offensive player. Interestingly, we’re not allowed to call him a left-back, as Julian Nagelsmann insists he’s not a left-back but rather a ‘left joker’. I think it works when Germany are playing against defensive sides but I don’t want to think about the national side playing against the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Kingsley Coman or Ousmane Dembele in this position. I think they’d then need a really good left-back in the defence – this is not Havertz.

Germany wanted a team of 11 players who could play together for the European Championship, but now we have a coach who is again experimenting. This could be a little bit dangerous. Julian Nagelsmann is quite stubborn, but I hope he’s thinking about recent events. There’s a big shadow cast over him by Rudi Voller, the sports director. After Hansi Flick was sacked, Voller took over one game against France, which was very good! So, Germany always has in mind the possible eventuality that Voller could take over if things don’t work out with Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann must be aware of this whilst he tinkers and experiments with the setup.

That’s not to say there wasn’t any success from the experimentation, with Pascal Gross of Brighton perhaps the biggest winner of all. He’s a great worker – and this feeds into what Nagelsmann said about there needing to be more workers in the side – and he did this very well in the United States. He didn’t play in the last few games because Nagelsmann tried Joshua Kimmich in this position behind Ilkay Gundogan and Leon Goretzka. However, the combination of Gross and Gundogan appears to be the best – so Gross is the big winner, at the moment, amid the disaster. He can put himself in greater focus in Germany. Interest in the player has already arisen as a result. Frankfurt has an eye on Gross. Gross said his big wish is to return to the Bundesliga at the end of his career, so this could now happen and you see the interest is there.

LIVERPOOL

A reported contract offer in the works for Jurgen Klopp is not a big topic at the moment. It’s not Klopp’s plan – it’s too early for that. I don’t think Liverpool have pressured him on this. It was surprising for everyone that Jurgen signed his last contract so early, so I don’t think this will be discussed until he’s closer to the end of his current terms. You see what is happening in Germany with the national team… I think this is a big target for his future, so that’s why he won’t sign a new contract so early.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Marvin Ducksch to Nottingham Forest could happen. It’s not just up to the player, it’s also up to the club, and they’ve got a lot of money problems at Werder Bremen. They didn’t have a great financial year and found themselves in the red with -€3.8m. That was why they had to sell Fullkrug to Dortmund and why they’d also be prepared to take advantage of Ducksch’s value. He is very cheap for a striker, earning €2m a year. He’s the best German striker of 2023 with 14 goals in 30 games; only Guirassy and Kane are better. He’s a player who would fit in the Premier League perfectly, as he’s willing to run and fight and he’s quick. It would be an interesting option for him.

We asked him last week if he could imagine a change and he didn’t say ‘no’. He didn’t say yes but if someone says ‘ah, I have to concentrate on Werder Bremen’, you always know there is something in the air! I think if you could get a German national player and a very good striker for, I heard, €15m – it’s not a big risk, so perhaps it could happen.

RB LEIPZIG

There are no offers at the moment but it is true that Leipzig would sell Peter Gulacsi. I heard that Gulacsi himself does not want to go; he wants to stay and take his chance. He’s a little disappointed in Leipzig that he hasn’t been given a chance after the many years he’s spent there. He can see what happened at Bayern Munich when Manuel Neuer spent a long period in the treatment room and then they welcomed him back with open arms after a patient wait. That doesn’t happen at Leipzig, though the new No.1, Janis Blaswich (32), is hardly young either. Regardless, Gulacsi wants to stay and show the club that he’s still the right man. I don’t think something will happen in January.

Timo Werner is not playing at RB Leipzig, so I can’t imagine that he’d get game time at Real Madrid – I think that rumour is far from the truth. We asked Frankfurt if there is interest and Markus Krösche said he’s no topic. Werner is a sensitive player and didn’t have a great time in the Premier League, so I can’t imagine he’d be prepared to return. There was some interest from Newcastle, but I’m not sure he’d want to move again. I heard he’d likely stay at Leipzig in the hopes of things improving. Another movement wouldn’t be good for his game, as if he’s not confident he’s not doing well and he’s not playing any more for the national team. So I don’t think he’s ready for another transfer.

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Klopp CONTRACT truth, Sane to replace Salah? Newcastle could STEAL Fulham target, Kane future & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Chelsea Dortmund, Leverkusen, Newcastle and more.

[From left to right: Xabi Alonso, Jude Bellingham and Randal Kolo Muani]

Today’s top stories:

• Dortmund won’t budge on Bellingham fee but no offer from Real – yet…
• Carlo Ancelotti’s immediate future could have consequences at Leverkusen
• And further updates on Jadon Sancho, Ivan Fresneda, Mason Mount, and more!

Bayern Munich

Bayern are still looking for a striker and most recently they had scouts and technical director, Marco Neppe, at the Aston Villa game. They won’t be making an offer for Ollie Watkins, however, because they’ve decided to continue to focus on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani as a priority as well as seeking clarification on Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane’s intentions. Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is no longer a target for the club so Man United will be happy, though the Red Devils have an issue if they want to position themselves alongside the Bavarians for Kolo Muani.

It takes a lot of money to sign forwards of that calibre, and that’s why it could be interesting if Manchester United are actually taken over by Sheikh Jassim’s group. I heard there are three players on the Sheikh’s wish list with Kylian Mbappé at the top, as well as Eduardo Camavinga and Kingsley Coman.

I can tell you categorically that Bayern will not allow Coman to be sold, but the situation with Sadio Mané and Serge Gnabry is different. After his issue with Leroy Sané, Mané now has problems with his team-mates, and furthermore, his level of performance has disappointed Thomas Tuchel. Bayern are hoping for an offer from Chelsea – offers from Premier League clubs are welcome in Munich (!) – but there are no seriously interested parties at this stage. Any potential interest from Newcastle doesn’t appeal to Mané either.

The club would never sign Lionel Messi despite his potential availability. As well as his high salary, it would destroy the dressing room, which is why Bayern said no when Cristiano Ronaldo’s management team offered him to the club.

Bayern are also looking for midfield players and I recently wrote about the interest in Mateo Kovacic. The availability of Mason Mount is certainly of interest to Tuchel also, as he knows both players well from his time in London. Nestory Irankunda, a 17-year-old central defender who currently plays for Adelaide United, will be signed as an investment for the future, and the club are also keeping an eye on Ajax star, Edson Álvarez, who is also on Dortmund’s list as a replacement for Jude Bellingham.

Do you think Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic can be a success at Bayern? Let us know your thoughts!

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Another player who could make money for Bayern is Yann Sommer, a goalkeeper that Manchester United have previously been interested in. After a serious injury, Manuel Neuer is now back in training and if he’s considered fit enough for the coming season, Sommer is likely to be sold.

Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso prior to the Bundesliga match between Union Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

“If he doesn’t answer by then, we’ll activate plan B,” Ednaldo Rodrigues, the Brazilian football federation’s president, announced.

What does Leverkusen have to do with it? Very simply, if Ancelotti agrees to manage the Seleção, Bayer will have cause to worry because Los Blancos have their former player, Xabi Alonso, in their sights as his successor and are following his every move. Leverkusen had planned to work with Alonso long-term, to see him develop their young talent and then reap the fruits of his labour.

During his time at Leverkusen you can see that this former world-class player first stabilised the team defensively, then helped them dominate the pitch and now lets them attack with pace and technique. Players like Florian Wirtz (who wants to stay for another season at Leverkusen), Jeremie Frimpong (a Manchester United target) and Moussa Diaby (a target for Newcastle) have all developed brilliant under Alonso which is why they are the focus of those Premier League clubs.

For Real’s president, Florentino Pérez, Alonso is the ideal solution. Within the club, their former goalscorer Raúl is considered the crown prince and next in line for the Santiago Bernabéu hot-seat, however, Pérez believes that Alonso has developed much quicker and would prefer him to take over from Don Carlo if that scenario came to pass.

Jude Bellingham

I heard that Bellingham imagined playing for Liverpool for a few years before making the move to Real Madrid. That was the career plan but Liverpool didn’t have the money for this deal. Bellingham has always thought highly of Los Blancos, and the talks with the Spaniards convinced him to move there, dissuading him from moving back to England in the process. Those responsible at Real are planning a visit to Dortmund, whilst Mark Bellingham, who manages his son’s career as director of his own company, ‘BelloBall LTD,’ definitely wants to finalise things this summer. It concerns high commission payments and the background to this is FIFA’s new statute, which is due to come into force on October 1. It will mean that only licensed player agents can issue invoices and they would only receive a share of three percent commission from the club and three percent from the player, based on their salary. The FIFA decision also applies to family members.

Jude Bellingham of Dortmund is seen during the Bundesliga match against VfL Bochum 1848. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

In the case of a transfer after this summer, Mark Bellingham would either have to take the difficult license test or hire a licensed consultant, and the former is out of the question as he wasn’t registered for the spring course. In simple terms: Real Madrid have already budgeted an annual salary of €20m (€100m over a five-year contract) for Bellingham, and would have to pay €3m to the licensed consultant, of which only a small part, minus taxes and deductibles, goes to Mark Bellingham – and which in turn would have to be taxed. According to the current rule, the commission is still at 10%, and would flow directly from the receiving club to Mark Bellingham and would only have to be taxed once. Neither Jude could wait for Liverpool in a sporting sense, nor it seems could his father Mark in a financial one.

Now Dortmund are waiting for Real Madrid’s offer.  They want a fixed amount of €120m which could rise to €150m, and as they’ve shown in the past with Dembele, Sancho and others, they have precise expectations when it comes to transfer fees and they’ll stick to them.

Eintracht Frankfurt

Another argument for Glasner to leave the club is that it’s going to be very difficult to keep his team together. For example, Randal Kolo Muani is being hunted by top clubs like Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. With that potential departure in mind, 22-year-old Keito Nakamura is on the list as a potential replacement. At Austrian club Linz he scored 16 competitive goals this season and and assisted eight more. If Eintracht are able to get the €120m for Kolo Muani that they desire, then the fee for Nakamura would be easy to pay. William Pacho (€9m from Antwerp) and Omar Marmoush (free from Wolfsburg) have already been signed by the club too.

Julian Nagelsmann or Oliver Glasner? Who is the perfect option for Tottenham Hotspur? Let us know below!

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Daichi Kamada and Evan Ndicka will most likely leave Eintracht on free transfers. Kamada should go to Benfica though Ndicka’s potential destination is unknown at present. Talks with Markus Krösche are now pending for Ndicka and it’s expected that Eintracht will withdraw their contract offer, just as they did previously with Kamada.

Last summer, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle were close to midfielder Djibril Sow, but this time around it’s West Ham doing the chasing. The Swiss star has been watched several times by the east Londoners, most recently in Dortmund by chief scout Rob Newman himself. The Hammers had already inquired about Sow in the winter window, but at that time sports director Krösche put a stop to it. Eintracht are now ready to talk, and would let Sow leave for €15m.

He’s the engine room in midfield who loves to drive his team forward – and he really wants to go to the Premier League. He joined Eintracht from Young Boys of Bern in the summer of 2019 for a fee of €14m and has played 154 competitive games for the club so far. Capped 36 times by the Swiss national team, he has eight goals and 13 assists at international level. He won two league titles with Young Boys and last season’s Europa League success is the greatest of his career to date.

Ivan Fresneda

If Dortmund do want to bring the player to the Bundesliga, in order to have enough money for him they’ll need to sell Thomas Meunier. The 31-year-old Belgian has a contract until 2024 but is only third-choice full-back and is also very injury-prone. No wonder that sports director Sebastian Kehl would like to save on his annual €7m salary, whilst also commanding a small fee for his services.

Jadon Sancho

Werder Bremen

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Inside the Bellingham deal, Tuchel’s double Chelsea swoop, Bayern’s preferred striker target & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

[From left to right: Harry Kane, Thomas Tuchel and Randal Kolo Muani… how big of a shake-up could we see happen in the Bundesliga this summer?]

Today’s top stories:

• Does Tuchel’s arrival at Bayern affect a move for Kane this summer?
• Tuchel’s summer transfer plans…
• Florian Wirtz’s future amid reported Barcelona interest…

Thomas Tuchel

Bayern tried to keep Julian Nagelsmann this season, due in no small part to clauses in his contract that would have meant it would have been easier to fire him on July 1.

There are a few reasons why they decided to go in a different direction: one is that the team lost 10 points on Dortmund in 2023. If he hadn’t beaten PSG in the Champions League, he would have been fired earlier. Another thing was that he lost the dressing room; all the leaders in the team had concerns and there were technical questions over his decision-making. The handling of João Cancelo was a case in point, with Nagelsmann struggling to work out how to use him.

I heard Bayern have been holding talks with Thomas Tuchel since the beginning of the week – this is one reason why they had to pull the trigger now, as they were afraid to lose Tuchel for a second time.

In 2018, there were already talks with Tuchel and he was keen to join after Bayern sacked Carlo Ancelotti. Then Jupp Heynckes came and there was another round of talks with Tuchel after the former admitted he didn’t want to do another season with the club.

I know from a meeting with Hasan Salihamidžić in his house in Munich in 2018, they talked for three to five hours and they were clear that they wanted to proceed. However, the president at this time, Uli Hoeneß, didn’t want to accept it.

When they made the final call and said ‘Thomas, we want to do it now,’ he said they were too late and that he’d signed for a new club. He didn’t tell Bayern officials that it was for PSG – but that was indeed the case!

This time, there was a lot of pressure on Bayern to make a decision given the very concrete interest from Tottenham in Thomas Tuchel. We’ve discussed before about the manager being on the list of Real Madrid as well, so Bayern were aware of the possibility that if they didn’t act quickly they would lose him again for a second time to another club.

What’s also very interesting is where this leaves Julian Naglesmann. I know he was very surprised when Bayern first came to him, because of Hansi Flick’s job with the national team, to make that leap from RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich. He had another career plan in mind, specifically making a step in between before joining one of the top five clubs in world football. One of the clubs in this plan was Tottenham, so, perhaps, they will give Nagelsmann a call now.

There was a very, very little thought about Jürgen Klopp perhaps but it was very clear that he’s not on the market. Tuchel was and Bayern was always going to be his No.1 choice if there was a chance for him to become their coach.

Oliver Glasner

The news that Thomas Tuchel is joining Bayern Munich is good news for Oliver Glasner.

They clearly like German coaches over in Tottenham! A few years before, they tried to get Hansi Flick, now they’ve tried to go for Tuchel, they’ve got Glasner on the list; he’s Austrian, of course, but German-speaking and German-thinking.

[Oliver Glasner with the Europa League trophy after Frankfurt beat Rangers – Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images]

The point is that Glasner is thinking about this move, which is why he’s yet to sign a new contract. Frankfurt have tried to extend his contract but there are ongoing discussions about the squad. Glasner wants to make the next step and get better with Frankfurt. If you don’t get better with Frankfurt, you can get better with another team and get a better squad; these are the discussions between Markus Krösche and Glasner.

Frankfurt are searching for alternatives already if it doesn’t work out with Glasner. One of them is a young coach with Dortmund’s U19 side, Mike Tullberg. He’s 37 and has a contract until 2026 with the club.

So, you see, they are thinking about the possibility of losing Glasner.

 Is Oliver Glasner the perfect replacement for Antonio Conte at Tottenham? If not, who should Spurs hire as their next manager if the Italian is sacked? Let us know your preference!

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Frankfurt

Everyone’s getting the feeling that it’s no longer realistic for Frankfurt to keep Randal Kolo Muani for one year more. The player’s already come out and said it’s the first time he can think about a summer move – to a big club in particular. So, you see, Frankfurt is losing a lot of quality and this could be the reason why Oliver Glasner is considering leaving.

Manchester United is a big thing for Muani. They don’t have the right striker for this position; look at Wout Weghorst – he’s only scored two goals for them.

They are preparing an offer for him. He knows that and if you have United in your head, it’s hard to concentrate on Frankfurt.

Arsenal

Arsenal are reportedly in pole position to sign Declan Rice this summer [Football Insider via CaughtOffside]

Bayern Munich

When you have a new manager, you have to fulfil his wishes, perhaps at least one. Thomas Tuchel is going to get a new team and has time to see what’s missing.

Tuchel learnt a lot from his time at Chelsea; there he was missing a really good striker. He’s a big fan of Harry Kane and if there had been a chance to bring him to Chelsea, he would have done so immediately.

I think this opportunity to have Kane at Bayern Munich would be the thing for Tuchel, as the squad is complete; it’s one of the best squads in terms of quality in the history of the club. But they are missing the big striker up front.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has already worked with Tuchel during his time with PSG. Tuchel knows that Choupo-Moting was a squad player before he made his move to Bayern Munich.

Tuchel will have one shot – that could be an expensive one! This could now be Harry Kane. When a new manager is coming in, of course, there’s the likelihood of players going out in addition to coming in.

[Thomas Tuchel at the Australian Open – (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)]

He wants a lot of players, so they have to get money in. Ultimately, the chance to get Kane in is bigger now that Tuchel has joined the club and I think there will be something in the summer now.

It’s worth remembering that one reason why Tuchel was fired at Chelsea was due to the many discussions he’d had with the club over not getting the players he wanted. One of them was Matthijs de Ligt – he really wanted him. Also on this list was Benjamin Pavard. Not the top target but he was also on Tuchel’s list. There are plenty of players in the Bayern squad he’d love to coach.

 Who should Thomas Tuchel sign and sell for Bayern Munich this summer? Let me know your thoughts below!

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Bayer Leverkusen

Florian Wirtz has made a decision that he’s staying because of the Euros in Germany in 2024, so there won’t be a summer move. He’s been a big target for Bayern Munich for years but they were really disappointed when he signed a new contract at Leverkusen until 2027, as it makes him a lot more expensive due to the lack of a release clause. It’s unlikely they’ll complete a transfer in the near future.

You have to wait and see how he performs but I think this story will be quiet until 2024 and then everyone needs to see.

He’s here with the national team and we’ve asked him about the rumours of Barcelona. He said that his father (who is the player’s agent) told him nothing about this interest but his decision has been made; he wants to stay at Leverkusen, continue his education, get better and become an important player with the national team. So we won’t have any news until next year.

Borussia Dortmund

It’s surprising that Dortmund want to hand Raphaël Guerreiro a new contract because analysis completed by the Bundesliga side suggested he’s not good enough defensively for the club’s system. But now, Sebastian Kehl, BVB’s sporting director, is working on a new contract because he’s performed very well of late.

They’ve decided that, as they’ve had a really good season, and they want to stay at the top – they see a chance to be a rival to Bayern Munich over the next few years – so they want to ensure there’s appropriate backup for every position. So they want to keep Guerreiro.

Now they see they can be champions in Germany, they’re earning a lot of money, and they see the need for a bigger squad. So this is Guerreiro’s chance to stay.

Chelsea

Chelsea are currently monitoring the availability of Nagelsmann and they could look to make a move for him as a replacement for Graham Potter [Football Insider via CaughtOffside]

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – How Bayern signed Tuchel, Kane future takes a twist, Tottenham manager search boost & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Today’s top stories:

• Jurgen Klopp has made fresh Jude Bellingham decision…
• Real Madrid interest in RB Leipzig sensation ‘very concrete’!
• Arsenal and Tottenham could fight for Borussia Dortmund star…

[From left to right, Joško Gvardiol, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham… could we see some big deals completed this summer?]

Harry Kane

Tottenham are, of course, not very keen on selling their star striker but, also for Bayern, it could end up working out pretty well for them if they wait a year, Kane doesn’t sign a contract in the meantime and then they can snap him up for free in 2024.

Bayern aren’t quite sure if they can pay for Kane this summer and they have the new contract for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for one year, they have Mathys Tel… so they are keeping a close eye on what’s happening with Tottenham. Bayern can wait and it could be the perfect time to strike in 2024.

Bayern Munich

Bayern are trying to extend Benjamin Pavard’s contract. I talked to Benjamin this week and asked him if he sees a future in Bavaria. He said many words in French but after the translation there was no clear answer in terms of wanting to stay; he said “let us fight for the championship and win some titles and after then we can see”, so you see he’s playing for time.

I know Barcelona are still at the forefront of his mind, the links there are very concrete. Inter are still following him, of course, but they’re not the No.1 choice. Chelsea could be an option. So these are the potential options for Pavard and, at the moment, I’m not so sure he’ll sign a new contract.

Should clubs be careful before looking to sign Pavard? Jonathan Johnson explores the player’s situation in his CaughtOffside column!

JONATHAN JOHNSON’S FULL COLUMN

I talked with Julian Nagelsmann about João Cancelo and he said that the defender is doing well but he isn’t a player for his system, which involves three defenders behind two wing-backs. So that’s the problem.

If Pavard is fit, it’s getting difficult for Cancelo and time is slowly running out. It’s not a perfect situation for both sides and it’s worth considering that the clause of €70m is too high for Bayern Munich. I heard they’ve already informed the player and his management that they can’t pay this amount.

If there’s no truth in the interest of Real Madrid and no one is prepared to pay this clause, Bayern would surely sit at the table with Manchester City and discuss his contract but €70m just isn’t an option for them. Plus, at the moment, he’s not a regular in the first-XI.

[Where does João Cancelo’s future lie? Should another club try and sign him this summer? Let us know who in the comments! – (Photo by CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)]

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Borussia Dortmund

No talks yet between Dortmund and Jude Bellingham, so I’m not sure if it’s the right time now ahead of the international break.

I heard that because of Liverpool’s experience in the Champions League this term, Jurgen Klopp made his thoughts very clear: Bellingham is now the top, top target. He said that every other transfer should be pushed down the pecking order; names like Randal Kolo Muani aren’t as important at the moment – there’s just one name and this is Bellingham.

Klopp needs him in the midfield, though they can see the difficulty in completing such a deal because Real Madrid are moving as well. But there is some good news for Liverpool, as Madrid are also interested in Joško Gvardiol and it’s not realistic for them to pay for both as Gvardiol would be an over €100m deal, as would Bellingham.

It’s a pity that Julian Brandt is injured at the moment because he’s been playing very well for Borussia Dortmund and now the national games have arrived. Of course, Dortmund heard about interest from the Premier League – especially Arsenal and Tottenham, we heard – and that’s why they’ve been putting pressure on the player; they want to have talks with him and his father to work out a new contract.

So you see, Dortmund are getting nervous because they know, in his head, the possibility of a Premier League move is being considered. Now, they’re pushing to get him signed up on a new contract. But Arsenal and Tottenham would be interesting for Julian.

Gregor Kobel is very important for Dortmund – they will do everything to stop an exit from the club. It’s true that his agents attended the Champions League game in London. We know that they had talks with several clubs in the Premier League, not only Chelsea.

So you see, there is special interest coming from the Premier League. But at the end, there must be some crazy figures being proposed to encourage Dortmund to sell him. He’s being regularly linked in rumours to Bayern Munich but it’s too early for him – no club will be able to easily sign him.

Gladbach

Manu Koné’s club, Gladbach, know that they will lose him this summer, unless something crazy happens. There are talks now between the sporting director, Roland Virkus, and Koné’s management, discussing how much would be on the table for selling him (crazy amounts like €40-50m).

[Kouadio ‘Manu’ Koné (right) in action for Gladbach – (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)]

PSG are interested. The player is French. We heard that Chelsea knocked on the door and have an interest in him. I don’t think he’s focused purely on one league, the most important thing for the player is focusing on the next step.

Inter Milan

There are always rumours around Marcus Thuram but he’s not doing so well in Germany, that’s why Bayern Munich said no. Chelsea aren’t so interested either.

The next step is Italy and you see it’s not the absolute top club in the country with the rumours around Inter Milan. I think the agents are ringing the doorbells of other clubs as he’s struggling at Gladbach. I think we’ll see him at a very good club next season because he’s a free agent.

Kylian Mbappe

Jonathan Johnson’s COS Column: If PSG were to change manager, Zidane is the obvious candidate and that would please Mbappe, I’m sure, he’s a French footballing legend. Still, I wouldn’t expect Mbappe to be close to a move this summer, because that’s just not something PSG will countenance.

JONATHAN JOHNSON’S FULL COLUMN

Manchester United

We heard that Manchester United is going to prepare a big offer for Randal Kolo Muani – specifically, €120m. That’s a price Frankfurt wouldn’t say no to.

Last week, there was a meeting with the new agents, Moussa Sissoko and the sporting director, Markus Krösche. They are getting offers and if there is a big offer they have to consider it. At the moment, nothing has happened as the offer isn’t on the table yet. The agents are pushing because new agents can only make money if they make a new deal.

Good news for Bayern Munich if Muani does end up going to United, as it then means United are out of the Harry Kane transfer poker.

Manchester United have shown an interest in signing Kim Min-Jae this summer [Fichajes via CaughtOffside]

Micky van de Ven

The player is talented and very fast for a centre-back – 35.9km per hour; that’s really quick for such a player.

He has a contract until 2027 and no release clause but Wolfsburg would be prepared to talk if they received an offer of €30m. The player himself has said he has no problem with staying another year but has also mentioned he’s open for a switch to Spain and the Premier League. So he’s already thinking about his future.

[Should a Premier League club swoop in early for the centre-half? Let us know your thoughts below! – (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Getty Images)]

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Many clubs are scouting him at the moment, it’s a really long list; Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma, AC Milan… so you see, he’s a very attractive option.

It’s not the case that he feels he has to leave this summer but I think if he keeps up the quality of his performances this season, next summer one of these clubs will be prepared to pay what Wolfsburg are looking for.

Real Madrid

We heard that Real Madrid are keen on Joško Gvardiol – it’s very concrete. There were already talks before the World Cup and now they are applying pressure with the potential deal. I heard Gvardiol regrets not putting more pressure on his club when Chelsea knocked on the door last summer for €90m.

Now, he sees that clubs are interested again; Real Madrid look like they could be the No.1 choice but Manchester City are also an interesting option for him. Chelsea lost important time in this deal and find themselves on the second row behind these two clubs.

His release clause is €112m in 2024. Chelsea made a bid of €90m last summer, so you see the minimum would be €100m and this is the line the clubs have to jump over.

Tottenham

Before, we’ve heard about concrete interest from Tottenham in Borna Sosa. This winter, Leverkusen tried to get him. Sosa also wanted to leave in the past.

He’s got new management and they’re in talks with Tottenham; Spurs are keen. He wouldn’t be too expensive for an English club, so I think this deal could happen this summer.

Chelsea have knocked on Oliver Glasner’s door in the past but he was committed to the project at Frankfurt. Now, I heard Frankfurt have tried to arrange a new contract and discuss his future. Glasner told them that he needs time to make that decision, so you see, perhaps, he’s thinking of moving to another club – this could be Tottenham.

I don’t think he’s made a decision yet, so let’s see. Hansi Flick was also close to joining Tottenham before he took the Germany job. Tottenham clearly have their eye on Bundesliga coaches, so perhaps Glasner could be their man.

Tottenham now linked with a move for Barcelona’s Ferran Torres [Calciomercatoweb via CaughtOffside]

The post Christian Falk’s Fact Files – Klopp’s Bellingham intervention, Man Utd preparing €120m Bundesliga raid, Tottenham’s next manager & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.