Note: This is the Daily Schmankerl…we have been asked to change up the headline as a test…carry on!
Goretzka has January suitors, but has no plans on move (Sport Bild’s Tobi Altschäffl)
Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka will be a free agent after the season, but neither he, nor the club
has any intentions of parting ways in January:
Leon Goretzka has suitors in January like Fenerbahçe and Juventus, but neither the player nor Bayern are planning a move mid-season, even though it would be the club’s last chance to get a transfer fee before Goretzka’s contract expires in the summer. A contract extension remains a possibility but only on significantly reduced terms.
Like it or not Bayern Munich fans, Goretzka is a key member of the squad and an important cog in Vincent Kompany’s machine. The Germany international could leave after the season, but a move will almost assuredly happen this winter.
Pep enamored with El Mala? (ESPN)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola might be very intrigued by FC Köln star Said El Mala:
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been impressed by FC Cologne winger Said El Mala and is having him closely watched, as reported by Sky Sports Deutschland, which adds that scouts have been at the 19-year-old’s recent matches. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also interested but a deal could be difficult for the Bundesliga clubs to complete as Cologne have extended El Mala’s contract until 2030 and are demanding a fee of €40 million. Talks between El Mala’s representatives and Cologne are planned for the winter and he is in no rush to leave.
Papa Wirtz says all is still good with Flo (Rousing the Kop)
While many fans wish Florian Wirtz would have chosen Bayern Munich over Liverpool, his father, Hans-Joachim Wirtz, still believes making the jump to England was the best move for his son.
“Florian is a young man who wants to prove himself in a new environment, and less than a third of the season has been played,” the elder Wirtz told the Koner Stadt-Anzeiger. “So far, everything is going as expected; it’s a completely normal settling-in process, entirely independent of any transfer fee. And if you look at the statistics more closely, you can see that Florian’s stats regarding his involvement in the game are already quite good; only assists and goals are still pending.”
The jury will be out on this move for a bit longer, but it would seem crazy to think that Wirtz will stay mired in a slump for Arne Slot.
Adeyemi to United? (ESPN)
Manchester United could be lining up a move for Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi:
Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has held talks with a number of clubs including Manchester United as negotiations over a new contract for his client stall, says Sky Sports Deutschland. The report claims that suggestions the 23-year-old has decided to leave are untrue, and more talks with Dortmund are planned for after the international break. Right now though, Adeyemi’s future remains completely open. His contract runs until 2027 and has a base salary of €475,000-a-month, while Mendes is demanding more than the €600,000-a-month being offered for an extension and also wants to add a release clause.
More noise surrounding Bayern, Vlahović (ESPN)
Another day, another link of Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović to Bayern Munich:
Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid are among the clubs in Europe keeping close tabs on the situation of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The Bianconeri are yet to make progress on a potential contract renewal for the 25-year-old as they are unwilling to continue his current €12m-per-season deal, but would be open to signing him to an extension on a reduced salary. Less than two months remain before Vlahovic will enter the final six months of his contract, when he will be allowed to discuss a pre-contract agreement with teams from outside of the Serie A.
It still seems hard to believe that Vlahović would want to sit at least one year behind Harry Kane, but there is a little uncertainty on Kane’s status. It is expected that he plays out his current deal (ending in 2027) at a minimum, but crazier things have happened. Until Kane officially commits to the final year of his contract (or longer), Bayern Munich would be wise to continue to explore contingency plans.
Pulisic looking to leave Milan? (ESPN)
Christian Pulisic could be contemplating a move away from AC Milan:
AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic has yet to sign a new contract and is keen to wait until the club have sealed qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League before he commits, according to Calciomercato. Pulisic, 27, has a deal which expires in 2027 (with an option to extend by a year) and the United States international has been linked with a return to the Premier League (after his spell with Chelsea) at either Manchester United or Aston Villa.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
