Lahm calls for Germany to find identity (Kicker via @iMiaSanMia)
Former Bayern Munich and German national team great Philipp Lahm thinks that Germany’s biggest problem is that it lacks an identity.
Lahm would also go deeper and call for personnel changes to be made more frequently, but does think the Germans can get out of the big hole that it has dug for themselves.
“We need to rediscover the identity of the German national team. We don’t need to copy Spain and their possession-based style of play; we have our own strengths. Defensive organization, physical, resilient
football, and then attacking – that’s what has always defined us as a national team,” Lahm told Kicker. “We should return to that, with clearly defined roles and a clear formation so that repetition and consistency can develop in both training and matches. And at some point, personnel changes have to be made if someone consistently fails to perform. If we become more decisive and consistent in these areas again, we’ll find our way out of this slump, even though it has already lasted for a very long time.”
Paging Jürgen Klopp!
If Klopp cannot bring this change to Germany, it might be time to put focus back on handball or something.
Barca has multiple striker options on its list (ESPN)
FC Barcelona has quite a few options to look at to find Robert Lewandowski’s replacement:
Barcelona continue to consider alternative options to Atlético Madrid and Argentina star Julián Álvarez in the transfer market, as TEAMtalk claims that both Chelsea’s João Pedro, and AFC Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi remain unlikely to join. The report states that instead of the Premier League pair, both Dusan Vlahovic and Darwin Núñez are being considered instead. The two strikers are viewed as experienced options who can lead the line and wouldn’t cost a fee, as the former is a free agent after leaving Juventus, while the latter is expected to leave Al Hilal this summer. Neither have overtaken Álvarez in the priority list, but Barcelona continue to survey the market in case they cannot land him.
Lewy does Wrigley (Instagram — Chicago Cubs)
It was only a matter of time before Robert Lewandowski hit Wrigleyville. It seems like the Polish Hitman had a good time with the Cubs:
I’ve had some of the best times of my life in Wrigleyville — none of them sober — but great nonetheless. Surely, Lewandowski did not do Wrigleyville the same way I did, but he likely absorbed the awesome scene.
PSG agrees to personal terms with Diomande (Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano)
Per this report, Paris Saint-Germain has agreed to personal terms with RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande, but still has to work out a deal with Die Roten Bullen:
🚨🇨🇮 Paris Saint-Germain agreed personal terms with Yan Diomandé in June but more clubs keep calling to try enter the deal.
There’s no agreement between PSG and RB Leipzig yet, talks continue — up to PSG now.
Gunners to make shock move for Stones (ESPN)
Arsenal could be looking to bring in former Manchester City defender John Stones:
Arsenal are considering a shock deal to sign former Manchester City defender John Stones as a free agent this summer, according to The Sun. It’s reported that the England defender, who left City at the end of his contract earlier this month, is viewed as a potential short-term fix for Mikel Arteta’s defensive issues. William Saliba played through the World Cup with a back issue, which flared up in France’s semifinal with Spain and could now see him out of action for months. Stones, 32, is seen as a realistic option to replace Saliba, as Arteta previously worked with him during his time as Manchester City assistant coach.
World Cup Team of the Tournament, Player of the Tournament (WhoScored.com)
Bayern Munich star Michael Olise was rated as one of the best players in the World Cup by WhoScored.com:
Lionel Messi, who was a no-show for the final, was rated the player of the tournament:
City probably won’t sell Foden (Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke)
There were rumors circulating that Manchester City would entertain the sale of Phil Foden, but that might not be the case per this report:
Manchester City have no plans to entertain offers for Phil Foden despite reports from elsewhere, sources have told Football Insider.
The 26-year-old suffered a disappointing season last time out and fell out of Pep Guardiola’s starting XI, leading to question marks about his long-term future at the club.
Reports in Turkey have suggested Galatasaray could make a move for the England international and are readying a big-money offer to lure him away from the Etihad.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Man City have no intention of letting Foden go and he remains a big part of their plans.
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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