According to a report out of Spain, Bayern Munich is battling Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena:
Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich are all willing to trigger the €60m (£50.7m) release clause in Alex Baena’s contract to whisk the slippery midfielder away from Villarreal this month.
At 23-year-old, the Spaniard could potentially be a new option on the wing for Bayern Munich, but it remains to be seen just how committed the club might be to rebooting the position.
Bayern Munich’s plans for players like Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Bryan Zaragoza are uncertain at best at the moment.
Arsenal FC has been scouting RB Leipzig attacker Benjamin Šeško, but its pursuit could be overshadowed if FC Barcelona gets into the mix:
Arsenal’s pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško, who has been valued at £60m, has been complicated by competing interest from Barcelona.
Bayern Munich will be looking to climb up the Champions League table when it travels to the Netherlands to take on Feyenoord.
Inching toward officially being “hot”, Bayern Munich will be looking to build off the positives it had in matches vs. RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg, while improving upon some of the negatives.
On paper, Bayern Munich is a very heavy favorite, but Feyenoord has proven to be a tough out in the UCL this season despite its status in 18th place of the Champions League table.
Let’s talk about all of that and more on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show. This is what we have on tap:
- A look at the recent form of each team and where they fall in the Champions League table.
- A look at the rosters and injuries for Feyenoord and Bayern Munich.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI.
- A prediction on the match.
FC Barcelona reportedly has Jamal Musiala as its “dream signing” — but it does not appear that Bayern Munich is going to let anything get that far:
With less than a couple of weeks remaining before the transfer window shuts, Barcelona are running against time to sign January target Marcus Rashford. A recent report from Diario SPORT, though, has indicated that Barcelona have bigger things in mind, particularly when the summer transfer window kicks in.
The report adds that Jamal Musiala has emerged as a ‘dream target’ for coach Hansi Flick, as he looks to further spruce up Barcelona’s attacking play. Musiala is considered to be an ideal player for Barcelona due to the dribbling prowess he brings to the table.
Indeed, Musiala is great in one-on-one situations, which is something Barça lack at the moment. The coaching staff, in fact, views the German international as an ideal option for the left-wing or the interior midfield position. Musiala, for his part, appears to have a special place for Barcelona in his heart, as he was a childhood fan of Lionel Messi.
At this stage, Bayern Munich appears close to getting a deal done with Musiala, which will keep him out of the grasp of Barca.
Aymeric Laporte thinks he is going to get a call from Real Madrid — which is unlikely to happen:
Aymeric Laporte is “waiting” for a phone call from Real Madrid, Marca reports, but the Al Nassr centre-back will be disappointed this month with the LaLiga giants not considering a move in the January window. The Spain international, 30, wants to leave Saudi Arabia but Madrid would only consider signing a player his age on a free transfer.
The show in Germany continues.
The action on the pitch is epic and energetic, despite mainland Europe remaining cold, dark, and rainy.
Today’s episode of the Bundesliga Rundown will cover:
- Miraculous comebacks in Bochum
- Marco Rose’s inconsistency in managing an equally inconsistent team
- Dieter Hecking (and his iconic eyebrows)
- The impressive Sebastian Hoeneß and his VfB Stuttgart!
Brighton & Hove Albion is said to be competing with Bayern Munich for center-back Ousmane Diomande:
Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern Munich are the latest clubs to be credited with an interest in Sporting’s Ousmane Diomande. The centre-back has been a regular for the Lions since joining them from Danish side FC Midtjylland in 2023.
Tipsbladet say his performances have not gone unnoticed as Brighton and Bayern Munich are in the mix to sign him. The 21-year-old has been linked to several clubs including Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid recently. The report points that out and adds Brighton and Bayern Munich have joined the chase for the defender in ‘high demand’.
Vincent Kompany’s side have asked about the Ivory Coast international, and the report makes it clear it’s Tipsbladet’s own information that Brighton have been in touch.
Bayern Munich have already made contact, and the Seagulls need to act fast if they plan to sign him in the winter market.
Borussia Dortmund and Marcus Rashford could be getting close…or not. Who knows? Let’s see what’s going on:
Marcus Rashford is expected to travel to Germany on Thursday to undergo a Borussia Dortmund medical before sealing a loan exit from Manchester United.
Bayern Munich is in a hellacious stretch here, but we have you covered with everything. Check out what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show hosted by Chuck and Jack:
- Some final thoughts on Bayern Munich’s win over Wolfsburg.
- Is Max Eberl punching walls and slamming tables every time Leon Goretzka puts in a good performance? Or…is Vincent Kompany bailing Eberl out by giving Goretzka this kind of opportunity?
- The Alphonso Davies contract situation has been a wild story to follow. Where do things stand? Has Bayern Munich gone too far with its salary package to secure the deal?
- Jamal Musiala has — allegedly — gotten the release clause that he wants. Is that a bad precedent to set?
- Will Musiala have the allure of Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to other players?
- How important is it to keep Joshua Kimmich? Is he doing his due diligence or running Bayern Munich through the ringer because he is a maniac?
Neymar’s career has been in limbo for quite a while, but is he ready to head back to his boyhood club? Maybe:
Al Hilal superstar Neymar has green-lit a return to his boyhood club Santos on loan, Diário do Peixe reports. Negotiations are now reportedly underway between the two clubs, though no agreement has been reached. Neymar started his career with Brazilian outfit Santos, scoring 107 goals in 177 league appearances between 2009 and 2013. Prior to Santos’ interest, the 32-year-old was heavily linked with a move to MLS, with Chicago Fire FC among the clubs interested. Neymar’s Al Hilal deal is set to expire this summer, meaning he’ll become a free agent once any proposed loan move concludes.
Eintracht Frankfurt could be eyeing Brøndby IF attacker Mathias Kvistgaarden to replace Omar Marmoush:
Mathias Kvistgaarden, also one of several candidates Eintracht Frankfurt are considering to replace Omar #Marmoush.
22 y/o versatile striker under contract with @BrondbyIF. As already analyzed in our Transfer Update show: technically well-trained with a very dynamic style of play. Explosive over the first few meters, frequently making deep runs into the attack, often drifting into half-spaces or onto the wings to engage in dribbles. Perfectly aligns with Eintracht’s playing style. Excellent anticipation in the box, with high finishing quality, including headers.
Bayern Munich faced off with a game and very tough Wolfsburg side in a Bundesliga match that showed us a lot about both teams.
Bayern Munich ultimately won a tense 3-2 match behind a spectacular effort from Leon Goretzka (!?), but the match also did leave a lot to discuss. Let’s talk about how it all went down and more on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show. This is what we have on tap:
- A look at the starting XI and what was surprising — really surprising.
- A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
- Bayern Munich came out on a mission and just overwhelmed a good Wolfsburg side. The Wolves, however, are for real.
- Leon Goretzka might be going on a Jay and Silent Bob-like crusade against internet commenters.
- Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match.
