Juve makes contact with Goretzka (Get Italian Football News)
Juventus has reportedly made contact with Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, giving the 31-year-old another solid option for the next phase of his career:
Serie A giants Juventus have initiated contact for Leon Goretzka as the race for the German midfielder’s signature begins to heat up ahead of a potential free transfer this summer.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Bianconeri have established initial ties with the player’s entourage to explore the feasibility of a deal. The approach
was facilitated by a common link as Goretzka is represented by the same agency as Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi.
During recent discussions regarding the Argentine center-back, Juventus directors took the opportunity to enquire about the Bayern Munich veteran’s situation.
The interest from Turin is concrete, as the club looks to add world-class experience and physicality to Luciano Spalletti’s midfield without a heavy transfer fee. However, Juventus are not alone in their pursuit. They are now locked in a direct battle with Milan, who have also identified Goretzka as a primary target for their own midfield reinforcement. With his contract winding down, the battle between the two Italian giants for one of Europe’s most coveted free agents is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.
Many of the teams interested in Goretzka are intrigued because of his physical presence. This season, Goretzka has been a little less aggressive than in the past. For his sake, hopefully the midfielder can move and perform as he will be entering into his last, big contract.
Vlahović wants Barca move (ESPN)
At a few different points, Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović has been linked to Bayern Munich. Now, though, it appears the big Serbian is focused on a move to FC Barcelona:
Dusan Vlahovic is prioritizing a move to Barcelona, with the Juventus striker preparing to become a free agent when his contract expires in the summer, according to TEAMtalk. Negotiations regarding a contract renewal have repeatedly stalled, despite the 26-year-old maintaining a positive relationship with the Serie A club. That has resulted in widespread interest in the Serbia international as Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Internazionale and Roma have all been linked.
Barca seems like it would be a good fit for Vlahović, but it remains to be seen what they are viewing for the future of the striker position in Catalonia.
Griezmann “one step” away from MLS move (L’Equipe)
It looks like Antoine Griezmann is really going to take the leap to MLS and play for Orlando City:
Antoine Griezmann is very close to a contract agreement with Orlando City (MLS). Only a few details remain to be finalized, although the French striker from Atlético Madrid has not yet made a final decision.
The love affair between Antoine Griezmann and Atlético de Madrid seems increasingly near its end. Or, at the very least, a very serious crossroads. Within the Madrid club, even though they would like the Frenchman to stay at least until the end of the season, they seem to have resigned themselves to the idea of his departure for Orlando in MLS. “Everything is practically finalized,” several sources told us. While other sources indicate that there is now “a 95% chance that it will happen.”
How many people are going to have no idea they are standing next to the French superstar in line for Space Mountain?
Personal terms done for Rashford? (ESPN)
If Marcus Rashford somehow stays at FC Barcelona, personal terms are already agreed upon:
Barcelona and on-loan Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford have reached an agreement in principle on personal terms, says Nicolo Schira. The 28-year-old has reportedly agreed to a four-year contract until 2030, with the Blaugrana pushing to sign him on a permanent deal. Fresh talks are expected to take place, but sources told ESPN last week that United have no plans to accept anything less than the permanent option clause fee, which is worth between €30 million and €35 million.
The hard part will be getting Barca and Manchester United to agree upon a transfer fee as the Catalans will likely want to come in lower than the aforementioned release clause.
Nübel frustrated after Celtic loss (67 Hail Hail)
VfB Stuttgart lost 1-0 to Celtic in the Europa League on Thursday, but still advanced 4-2 on aggregate. Afterward, Bayern Munich loanee Alexander Nübel was less than thrilled.
“The defeat is frustrating, even though we achieved our goal. After conceding the very early goal, there was a certain nervousness, but we recovered and largely kept the game under control,” Nübel told Stuttgarter Nachrichten.
Nübel is in a key phase of his career where he needs to be at his best in every match. If he wants to land at a good destination, he will have to put VfB Stuttgart on his back for the rest of this campaign.
BVB has price in mind for Nmecha suitors (ESPN)
If anyone wants to take a run at acquiring Felix Nmecha, Borussia Dortmund will require at least €70 million:
Borussia Dortmund are set to demand a fee of around €70 million from clubs wanting to sign midfielder Felix Nmecha, amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester United, according to Bild. The 25-year-old’s situation at Signal Iduna Park is reported to be “sensitive” after he joined an agency based in England, and it looks as though BVB would be willing to part ways with him if their transfer valuation is met. The Bundesliga club are also expecting interest to emerge in winger Karim Adeyemi, 24, and striker Serhou Guirassy, 29, with the hope of raising significant funds from these three deals to rebuild their squad.
Pepi likely out at PSV (AS)
PSV Eindhoven seems like it is ready to offload former FC Augsburg attacker Ricardo Pepi:
An injury hampered him at the start of the year, but Ricardo Pepi (El Paso, Texas, USA; 2003) has made a triumphant return . The American is proving to be one of the most promising players of his generation; it’s no coincidence that PSV rejected a multi-million dollar offer from the Premier League last transfer window. However, all signs point to his time at the Philips Stadion coming to an end. The question is whether that will be before or after next summer’s World Cup.
Sources close to the club have confirmed this to this newspaper. Given his quality and potential, and having just turned 23, Pepi is considered ready to take the next step in his career ; and not just any step, but to a major European club. His development has improved season after season, and at an astonishing pace. He went from being ‘the best substitute in Europe’ to establishing himself as a prolific striker.
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…
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