Daily Schmankerl: Matthäus backs Rebić; Hazard uses Ribéry as example; Bayern chased Lukaku; and MORE!

Lothar Matthäus is backing Bayern to sign Ante Rebić (Bild)

Lothar Matthäus appears to be everywhere and doing everything. In his column for Bild, he indicated that Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ante Rebic is the type of player who would be a fit in Munich.

For a year and a half he has been showing consistently strong lines, standing for speed, dribbling power and passion. Rebić is one of the top players in the Bundesliga. If FC Bayern still needs it, Rebić would be an obvious alternative for me.

Bundesliga fans who have seen Rebić know he’s an impact player and he would absolutely fill a need for Bayern, but it remains to be seen if Niko Kovač can use his existing relationship to influence the Croatia star to swap an incredibly sharp Eintracht Frankfurt jersey for a Bayern kit.

Somewhere Franck Ribéry is nodding his head in agreement (@101greatgoals)

As one of the world’s best players, Chelsea man and Belgian star Eden Hazard has a lot of fans. He does, however, have at least one more (even as France and Belgium prepare for a World Cup battle) as a certain French winger will no doubt agree with Hazard’s assessment of the chances of anyone other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo winning the Ballon d’Or.

Prior to re-signing Robert Lewandowski, Bayern was eyeing Romelu Lukaku as a fallback option (FussballTransfers.com)

Bayern had a contingency plan if Lewandowski left back in 2016-2017...and it was Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.

Before joining Manchester United in the summer of 2017, FC Bayern were also interested in a commitment from Romelu Lukaku. Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk confirms that the striker was in the focus of the Munich season 2016/17. Finally, a commitment was waived, as the Bavarians focused on the contract extension with Robert Lewandowski. Since there was no need in Munich, the former Everton attacker then moved for 85 million euros to Manchester.

Badstuber to stay with VfB Stuttgart (@VfB_int)

Former Bayern man Holger Badstuber has agreed to extend his contract with Stuttgart through 2021.

Bayern gives FC Dallas player Chris Richards the video treatment (@FCBayernUS)

Bayern does a very good job of marketing its players and the crew pulled together a quick (1:39) video on FC Dallas loanee Chris Richards, who inked an agreement to train and play with the U-19 squad for the next six months on loan from FC Dallas.

FC Dallas has its own video featuring Richards as well.

FC Bayern Frauen star undergoes knee surgery (@FCBfrauen)

Melanie Behringer had knee surgery and will start rehab immediately in hopes of being ready for the start of the season in September.

Melanie Behringer was successfully operated on the knee on Friday. The @FCBfrauen game leader will immediately get into the rehabilitation measures, the training start on 23.07. However, ➡️ https://t.co/xhpQ5FMzTu ♦️ Miss all the best http://fcbayern.com/mpj2q !

Kristin Kögel headed to the U-20 World Cup (@FCBfrauen)

Frauen II player Kristin Kögel as the 18-year old will join Germany’s squad for the U-20 World Cup. FCBayern.com provided a little more detail on the achievement:

Great news for Kristin Kögel. The 18-year-old attacker of the second team of the FC Bayern women was nominated for the squad of the German U20 women’s national team for the upcoming U20 World Cup. Kögel is the only Munich player in the squad of coach Maren Meinert. The World Cup will take place in France from 5 to 24 August and the German team will face Haiti, China and Nigeria in the group stage.

Kögel came to Munich from VfL Sindelfingen last summer and currently plays mainly in the second team. In October, the striker celebrated her first professional outing in the second round of the 3-0 win against SV Alberweiler - her youth club - and was allowed to travel with the 1st team to Qatar in January. In addition, she went through since the U15 all junior teams of the DFB.

Good news! @FCBFrauen-striker Kristin Kögel goes to Torjagd at the U20 World Championships in France from August 5th! http://fcbayern.com/2OtmH #FIFAWWC ⚽️ Much success Kristin and the U20 @DFB_Frauen! All information ➡️ https://t.co/nL5VhGG6VK