Saturday was something, eh?
Wanner to move on…again? (@kerry_hau via @iMiaSanMia)
According to Sky Sport journalist Kerry Hau, Bayern Munich loanee Paul Wanner wants to make a move to play at a higher level of football. What does that mean? Well, it seems to point to a return to Bayern Munich — or a move (loan or permanent) to a club that is poised for European play:
Paul Wanner wants to take the next step in his career next season – if not at Bayern, then elsewhere at a team that plays attacking football. Talks with Bayern will take place after the end of the season. Wanner is open to a move if Bayern are not planning with him. Several clubs from the Bundesliga and abroad are interested. Wanner has yet to make a decision on whether he will play at the U21 Euros or at the Club World Cup this summer.
With Thomas Müller out of the picture for next season, it might seem like a natural fit for Wanner to return to Bayern Munich. However, minutes will still be scant behind Jamal Musiala, so Wanner’s playing time would be minimal at best unless he plays some wing or Vincent Kompany changes the formation.
That still might be tough because no one is expected to leave Bayern Munich’s midfield group and Tom Bischof will be moving to the club as well. Bischof, of course, can play in any midfield role (attacking, central, defensive), which is yet another roadblock for Wanner.
Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart, and Bayer Leverkusen have been rumored to have interest in Wanner and each would be solid landing spots in terms of level of play, but it does appear as if Wanner is getting impatient.
None of this even factors in what happens if Bayern Munich makes a play for Florian Wirtz this summer or next summer.
Is there a way for Bayern Munich to keep Wanner engaged that long?
United out on Šeško (ManUtd Addicts via 90Min.com)
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško could have one less suitor this summer:
Man Utd have ended their interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško, who they do not believe to be worth more than £50m. Leipzig are looking for at least £60m to sell the Arsenal target.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 7, Episode 37 (Bavarian Football Works)
Bayern Munich had had a week…and then some.
Let’s get right into what he in store because there is so much to cover on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show:
- We have spoken a lot about Bayern Munich and Thomas Müller this week, but now that everything is official — and the legend’s time at the club is ending, let’s unpack it all.
- Bayern Munich has been ravaged again by injuries and with Inter Milan in the Champions League looming, things could tense in Bavaria.
- Bayern Munich is reportedly ready to re-up Leroy Sane, Eric Dier, and Sven Ulreich look to be getting new deals. Are these the right moves for Bayern Munich?
Tel a “flop” with Spurs? (Sport Witness)
Bayern Munich’s hopes of selling Mathys Tel to Tottenham Hotspur after his loan ends could be hitting a roadblock because he has not performed:
Bayern Munich are increasingly worried that Mathys Tel has turned into a complete flop at Tottenham and that will see them miss out on €50m this summer.
That’s according to BILD, who report that Tel currently finds himself as fifth choice at Tottenham and that’s causing plenty of concern in Munich. The French U-21 is in a slump, with no goals or assists in five league games for Tottenham and it’s hard to imagine they’ll be exercising a €50m option to buy him in the summer.
He’s proven to be ‘anything but good’ since arriving at Tottenham in loan in January and this risks ruining Bayern’s plans for the summer transfer window. Tottenham initially offered €60m upfront to sign him in January but Bayern’s Max Eberl couldn’t convince the forward to make the move permanently. Tottenham instead paid €10m for a loan with a €50m option to buy him instead.
So, things aren’t going well, and it now seems very unlikely that his move to Spurs will be made permanent at any point. That’s bad news for Bayern, with previous reports making it clear that they were hoping to secure the money from Tel to help do other business.
The numbers are the numbers, but if Tottenham Hotspur does let Tel walk back to Bayern Munich this summer, it might be fair to ask if the Frenchman just is not good enough (like Joshua Zirkzee, Fiete Arp, and others before him) or maybe just does not have a defined position.
Gyökeres looks free to leave Sporting CP (ESPN)
Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres has had one of the most impactful seasons in Europe, but his time in Portugal seems to be coming to an end. The club is open to letting him leave with Manchester United, Arsenal FC, and Chelsea FC all potential destinations:
Sporting CP are willing to sanction Viktor Gyökeres’ exit this summer for the right fee amid strong interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, reports The Sun. The Portuguese giants could accept a bid in the region of £55 million to £70 million as a show of gratitude to the forward, who chose to stay put in January. This is significantly lower than Gyökeres’ reported release clause, which is around £85m. United and Arsenal are considered the “lead contenders” to sign the Sweden international, who has also been linked with Chelsea in recent weeks.
Bayern Munich has also been linked to Viktor Gyökeres, but the presence of Harry Kane could be an impediment to getting any deal done.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show: FC Augsburg 1-3 Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)
Bayern Munich traveled to FC Augsburg knowing it was going to face a tough, rugged, defensive squad in Die Fuggerstädter.
As expected, it was not easy, but the Bavarians won 3-1 and will now shift focus to the Champions League quarterfinal against Inter Milan on Tuesday. Let’s dive into this one on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:
Let’s talk about all of that and more on the Bavarian Podcast Work — Postgame Show. This is what we have on tap:
- A look at the starting XI and our thoughts on the rotation.
- A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
- Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match, including thoughts on the injury to Jamal Musiala.
De Bruyne has options for his next move (Footmercato via ESPN)
Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne announced that he is leaving the club and it does appear as if he will have options (if he wants them):
River Plate, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and San Diego FC are all interested in signing 33-year-old Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, but Saudi second-division side Neom SC are leading the chase.
Chelsea eyeing Madrid attackers (Fichajes via 90Min.com)
Chelsea FC could be looking at two youngsters from Real Madrid (who probably are not available, but such is life):
Chelsea want to sign Real Madrid winger Rodrygo and striker Endrick and are preparing to launch a double bid worth €180m (£151.5m) to seal a deal.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Reaction Show: Report says Bayern Munich has decided to cut ties with Thomas Müller (Bavarian Football Works)
If the latest reports are true, the Thomas Müller Era at Bayern Munich is over.
How do fans feel about it? How should fans feel about it? Is it just the natural course of a career even for a club legend like Müller — or could something have been done to make it a more palatable exit for fans and the player alike?
One thing is for sure — there is a lot to talk about and discuss regarding the career achievements of a player like Müller and why it has all come to this. Who is at fault? Who should be blamed? Let’s talk about all of this and more on this Special Edition of Bavarian Podcast Works.
Hoeneß talks record turnover, but not enough to make big signings (t-online via @iMiaSanMia)
Bayern Munich legends Uli Hoeneß recently commented on the importance of saving money despite the club’s record turnover (revenue).
“That depends on all the contract extensions. Then you have to see how much money is left to possibly bring in new players. But, as I see things at the moment, there isn’t much money left to make big signings next year,” said Hoeneß. “The most important thing is not the turnover, but the profit. That is still OK, but not as good as it used to be.”
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 4, Episode 37 (Bavarian Football Works)
What a week it has been at Bayern Munich…
There has been massive drama surrounding a legendary player and the club executives, and the team is steamrolling into key match-ups with FC Augsburg and Inter Milan.
Let’s dive into all of it on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show. This is what we have on tap:
- Why the situations surrounding Thomas Müller and Max Eberl are not only causing consternation with fans, but how they might be showing a greater disconnect between the different factions within the club.
- Are Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge overstaying their welcome — or strategically taking bullets to help the club move forward?
- The most recent transfer rumors include a potential move for goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and also Dayot Upamecano’s expectations for a contract extension might actually end up being too hefty for Bayern Munich to absorb.
- Listener Q&A responses.
Agent for Davies talks through extension decision (@winwinallsports via @iMiaSanMia)
Alphonso Davies’ agent Nedal Huoseh recently spoke through the contract extension that the Canadian signed with Bayern Munich.
“Davies feels good, and I feel good about the new contract. It has been a journey full of ups and downs since 2023 until now. Of course, we had some other options on the table, but overall, it’s a good feeling. Bayern is a great club, one of the biggest in the world, and the player is happy,” said Huoseh.
“From our perspective, there were many factors to consider—the project, the money, and the city. So, there were many positives, and you always have to weigh your pros and cons in every decision. Then, you assess the situation and encourage Alphonso Davies to make his own evaluation—not just be guided but to weigh all the pros and cons himself and then say: ‘Okay, this is where I want to be, and this is why I don’t want to be somewhere else.”
“In the end, the player has to have the feeling deep inside, regardless of the money or any financial aspect. He must have that inner feeling of conviction—’this is what I want to do’—because if he doesn’t feel it, he won’t perform at his best, and he will carry regret inside him, which will affect his focus. And when you’re not focused, that’s not good for a professional footballer.”
“I also want to clarify something—when it comes to a footballer’s career, there are many choices. But staying at a big club for a long time isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes, constantly jumping between clubs can harm a player’s career. You’ve seen this happen with many top stars who moved from club to club, and sometimes things didn’t go as expected. So, stability can sometimes be the better choice.”
Rüdiger to get new deal with Real? (ESPN)
Germany international Antonio Rüdiger could get a contract extension from Real Madrid:
Real Madrid are “very open” to extending defender Antonio Rüdiger’s contract beyond next summer, Sky Germany reports. While the veteran center-back is attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs, his priority is to remain in the Spanish capital for another few years at least. A new deal could run until the summer of 2028, by which time Rüdiger would be 35 years old. As per Sky Germany, he feels “happy and comfortable” at Real Madrid, whom he joined in June 2022 on a free transfer from Chelsea.
