Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is man who understands the importance of some drama.
With Bayern Munich, Chelsea FC, Manchester United, and Real Madrid all with at least some interest in star striker Victor Osimhen, the boisterous executive laid out what it will take to get the 24-year-old — a John Gage offer per 90Min.com:
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says the club is prepared to sell star striker Victor Osimhen this summer, but only if a “more than indecent proposal arrives”. Osimhen cost Napoli a club record €70m, potentially rising to €80m, 2020 and took a previously respectable goal return to new heights this past season when he scored 26 league goals to help deliver a first Serie A title since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona.
Chelsea have been firmly targeting Osimhen since February, having already stepped up their scouting presence with regard to the player last autumn. Manchester United are also in the market for a striker, while Real Madrid are additionally linked following the surprise departure of Karim Benzema earlier this summer.
Interstingly Bayern Munich was not mentioned, but that was probably because the club is being strung along by pursuing Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. What will be fascinating to watch play is how far Bayern Munich might be willing to go if it cannot land Kane.
Surely to get Osimhen, “indecent” might just be where the bidding starts.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Podcast: Season 3, Episode 1
Bayern Munich’s preparations for the new season are commencing as the team is regrouping to attack the 2023/24 season.
As expected there is still a lot of uncertainty with the roster and so many stories that could impact how this team performs in the upcoming campiagn. Let’s take a look at what is on tap for this episode:
- It sure feels like Harry Kane is using Bayern Munich as leverage against Tottenham Hotspur. Get the latest news on Kane here!
- No one wants to leave Bayern Munich (well, except Ryan Gravenbech and Alexander Nübel), but it appears that Leon Goretzka, Sadio Mané, Mathys Tel, and Marcel Sabitzer have all caught the Bayern Munich bug.
- Is anyone worried about Manuel Neuer yet?
- Niklas Süle is reportedly “Hulking” up.
Song of the Week: “Two Step” by Dave Matthews Band
If you were a college student in the 90s, you did not escape Dave Matthews. Now…I was not the biggest Dave fan by any means, but I had friends who were IN on the whole scene. I definitely like some of his songs and would totally admit the band is super-talented. I just wasn’t all-in like so many of my peers at the time.
Anyway, if you had to pick the premier DMB song, I would go with “Two Step”, which has one of the most kick ass openings of a song from that era. I legitimately don’t even know how to categorize the music. Is it alt-rock? Is it just rock? Is it adult contemporary for 90s college kids? I don’t know, I just know that “Two Step” is good…really good:
Goretzka wants to stay put
This has to be such a weird period for Bayern Munich Leon Goretzka.
A key player for both club and country, a chunk of fans have turned on him, his new coach is reportedly “not a fan” of him, and the club seems to want to replace him.
Surely, the 28-year-old has seen better days.
Despite all of that, though, Goretzka wants to fight for his spot. According to a report from Abendzeitung’s Maximilian Koch (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Goretzka still wants to give it a go under Tuchel despite the perception that the manager might not be a fan of his:
Despite all rumours of a potential move, Leon Goretzka is not considering leaving Bayern. The midfielder still believes in his chances under Tuchel and wants to fight for his spot against all competition. It is said he’s definitely staying, 100%.
Goretzka does not want to leave ‘his familiar surroundings in Munich’ a year before the Euros at home. He sees his best prospects in Munich.
For Goretzka, this must be an incredibly difficuly situation. The club has brought in a potential replacement for him in each of the past two seasons (Ryan Gravenberch, Konrad Laimer) and seems to be actively seeking a defensive mifielder, who would seemingly push his good pal, Joshua Kimmich, ahead of him on the depth chart as well.
Surely, this is not how Goretzka imagined his prime years playing out.
