Bayern Munich center-back Matthijs de Ligt could be a very popular figure on the transfer market. Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, and Manchester United have all expressed interest in the Dutchman:
A host of Premier League sides have been reportedly contacted by intermediaries over the potential availability of Matthijs de Ligt.
According to TBR, Matthijs de Ligt is reportedly available for a transfer away from Bayern Munich in the summer as intermediaries contact a host of Premier League teams. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are the teams in touch with people involved with the Dutch defender as he looks to move away from Germany.
Matthijs de Ligt to leave Bayern Munich?
Matthijs de Ligt may no longer be the preferred choice to start games for Bayern Munich, as it showed last season under Thomas Tuchel. While the manager has since left the club, the situation might remain the same under new boss Vincent Kompany, who prefers ball-playing centre-backs in his system.
Meanwhile, intermediaries connected to De Ligt have reported that they contacted a host of Premier League sides about a possible transfer for the £70 million-rated Bundesliga star. The idea to play in England may not be a problem for the defender, who may not want to endure time on the bench at Bayern.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the teams being contacted by intermediaries, as De Ligt might seek a way out of Bayern. These are all clubs, including Chelsea, on the lookout for a new center-back, and the 24-year-old might be a significant option to consider.
Funny enough, Chelsea is also interested in another Bayern Munich center-back, Dayot Upamecano:
Chelsea could be set to make further changes in defence this summer as they’re supposedly showing some interest in three exciting names in the form of Leny Yoro, Ousmane Diomande and Dayot Upamecano, according to Simon Phillips.
Yoro in particular is one of the most exciting young talents in world football at the moment, so would be a statement signing for the Blues if they could pull it off, as there’ll surely be a host of other top clubs involved in the race for his signature soon enough.
Phillips claims to have heard about Chelsea’s interest in Yoro, Diomande and Upamecano as options in defence from sources in the last week, and this comes as there could also be further sales in that position soon.
Thiago Silva recently left Chelsea at the end of his contract, and Phillips now says there’s some doubt about Benoit Badiashile’s future at Stamford Bridge amid interest from clubs in Serie A and in the Saudi Pro League.
Germany will kick off its EURO 2024 campaign against Scotland with a team lacking on the typical Bayern Munich influence.
In fact, only Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala could feature as starters for ex-Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann. As the home country, Germany will have the crowd at its back (and maybe on its back, too), but things will not be easy, as France, England, Spain, and Portugal are all expected to make a strong charge at winning the title.
Now, it is time to get going to and discuss how this all might play out, so let’s get to it:
- A look at Julian Nagelsmann’s probable starting XI.
- Why Germany absolutely needs a strong performance against Scotland to help, well, everyone stop feeling so apprehensive about the team.
- A prediction on the match.
Nike joined Adidas in stepping up their ad game of late:
Noted pundit Jamie Carragher thinks that Gareth Southgate must change Harry Kane’s role on England if the Three Lions want to win the EURO 2024 competition.
“The problem with a player of Kane’s many abilities is that it reduces his effectiveness by 50 per cent. Kane is a multi-tasking, modern center-forward who was reduced to one-dimension during the 1-0 win over Serbia. If Southgate persists with the same system for the rest of the tournament, their No. 9 will be heavily compromised. Possibly too much. Having come into the EUROs with a Phil Foden conundrum, after one game Southgate has a Kane one,” said Carragher. “The reason he is world-class is because he does not need to score to have an impact on a game. At his best, he is a goalscoring No 9, a false 9 and a creative No 10. Redefining him as a poacher to accommodate so many team-mates who want to occupy the deep, No 10 position will be the most contentious decision Southgate makes if England are unsuccessful.”
You could really argue that tinkering with Kane’s role — or allowing Kane to make the decision himself to sit deeper — is one of the things that led to Thomas Tuchel’s downfall at Bayern Munich as well.
EURO 2024 is underway and Germany started it with a bang! The 5-1 win over Scotland at the Allianz Arena was a thing of beauty, which has given fans hope that this Nagelsmann-led Germany side could make a real splash at this tournament. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, signed Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito, but the rumors didn’t stop there.
In this episode, INNN and Samrin discuss the following:
- What do we think of Germany after that impressive showing against Scotland? Where are the strengths and weaknesses?
- INNN and Samrin disagree on the combination of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.
- Can Germany go all the way in this tournament?
- Were Germany good or Scotland bad? Does it matter?
- What Nagelsmann could afford to change in upcoming games.
- Switching gears to Bayern Munich — a rundown of what’s going on with recent rumors and the board.
- Why Alphonso Davies CANNOT be allowed to leave for free next season.
- Is the media giving us the wrong picture?
- The strange situation with Dayot Upamecano and how it might affect defensive planning (including Matthijs de Ligt).
- How much is Vincent Kompany involved in squad planning? Where might things go from here?
Juventus could have its eyes on Manchester United attacker Jadon Sancho, who starred on loan with Borussia Dortmund in the second half of last season:
Juventus could make a play to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, with Manchester United prepared to make a loss on the winger. The Italian giants are currently in talks with Aston Villa over a £17m deal for Douglas Luiz, with Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior set to go the other way.
Football Insider (via 90Min.com), backed up the report:
Juventus have moved ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the race to sign Man Utd winger Jadon Sancho.
I don’t know why, but I am here for these antics:
Germany kicked off its EURO 2024 campaign against Scotland in a match that had a palpable buzz.
It was the EUROs after all.
The Germans were able to thrash Scotland 5-1 and pick up a vital first win in what the team hopes to be a long and successful run on its home soil. As always, we have some takes on the match, so let’s get to it and discuss everything that happened on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:
- A look at Julian Nagelsmann’s lineup vs. Scotland.
- A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
- Some thoughts on the electric atmosphere and how it might have played a role in Scotland coming out so tentative.
- Appreciation for Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Toni Kroos, and Niclas Füllkrug.
- What looked great and what Nagelsmann might need to keep an eye on.
- Germany was dominant and we were impressed…were you?
If you ever wanted to get a look inside the mind of Roy Keane, this might be your chance:
“You are always going to hide some parts of your character,” Roy Keane told reporters yesterday. One part that was hidden beyond recognition from his first book shone like a beacon; his family.
Upon reading Roy Keane: The Second Half, it becomes quickly apparent that the Ireland assistant manager desperately wants to keep his private life just that. To the point that he does not even mention them by name. While the former Manchester United and Ireland captain has no qualms putting himself back into the full glare of the public eye, he has spent his career shielding his family members from it.
The latest instalment of the Keane story contains 45 images. Just one features a member of his family, where his daughter Alanna is held aloft by her father in a Celtic jersey as he salutes Old Trafford during his testimonial match in 2006. She isn’t named in the accompanying caption. A quick Google search of the image illustrates the point further. “Roy Keane holds a child thought to be his daughter,” is a common caption.
Early reviews of the book are in agreement that Roddy Doyle’s work sheds more light on the personality of Keane than his first book 12 years ago, stripping down the mystery that surrounds the Irish football legend.
The anger demonstrated throughout Eamon Dunphy’s effort in the aftermath of Saipan is not as prevalent in Doyle’s finished article. Keane’s dry wit is more noticeable and his admission to tackling his demons gives rise to more understanding of the man, rather than simply the footballer, and now assistant manager.
Another clear area of difference is in relation to his loved ones. In Keane, for example, there are 19 pictures of the Mayfield native with family members. Many of these show a doting father of Shannon, Caragh, Aidan and baby Leah. The final member of the Keane household, Alanna, was not yet born.
There are a number of loving references to his immediate family, and in particular his wife Theresa.
“At Easter, the decisive period in every Championship season, my personal circumstances improved dramatically when the woman I loved agreed to come live with me in Manchester,” he wrote 12 years ago. Now she was coming to Manchester, my life outside football was complete. It had real shape and purpose. Theresa was expecting our first baby, which was a wonderful incentive to grow up.”
The Second Half provides more of a glimpse into the man, rather than simply the ex-footballer, but Roy Keane, the father, husband, brother and son, we may never get to know.
Manchester City is reportedly keeping a close on Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who was rumored to be on Bayern Munich’s transfer list:
City also view Crystal Palace and England breakout star Adam Wharton as a future signing but not one for this summer window.
Somehow, the weeks around here keep getting crazier.
Bayern Munich is a whirlwind of activity and the German national team is ready to kick off one of its most important tournaments in years.
Clearly, we have a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:
- I’ve got a bad feeling about this…new regime. The current roster? The transfer plans? Something just does not feel right and the New World Order in Bavaria could be guiding Bayern Munich into an iceberg of failure.
- Is the front office purposely creating a leadership void to reboot the team’s mentality?
- Hiroki Ito is a good player, but does he make Bayern Munich better? What about Jonathan Tah? Will they be better than Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano?
- If Bayern Munich sells off De Ligt, it is incredibly dumb — especially if it is over money.
- Alphonso Davies looks like he could stay, while Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, and Serge Gnabry do not want to leave Bavaria…now what? Money could be an issue for all of these players as well.
- Here we go with Germany! Julian Nagelsmann’s legacy will start to be determined now. Did he already make a mistake by calling in Emre Can for Leon Goretzka?