Daily Schmankerl: RB Leipzig facing reality with Timo Werner; Carlo Ancelotti wanted Naby Keita with Bayern; Marco Reus shuns Bayern; and MORE!

Leipzig facing Werner conundrum (SZ)

RB Leipzig suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, but that is not the only thing concerning the club leadership. CEO Oliver Mintzlaff is facing the reality that the club needs to deal with Timo Werner’s contract, which ends in June 2020.

We can not afford to let such a player go to the last year on a free transfer.

Werner’s teammate Kevin Kampl expressed hope that the club would be able to work something out with the Germany international:

We all hope he stays, he’s one of the most important players in our team.

BuliNews also captured quotes from Sky on the topic. RB Leipzig coach and sporting director Ralph Rangnick doesn’t sound overly optimistic that his club can ward off the Bavarians if they make a serious bid:

I see him in perfect hands with us for the next to or three years. If Bayern are serious, then it will be difficult. But it also depends on his priorities. He has one year left of his contract with us, and we have made a clear agreement that he will not start the new season with us unless he signs an extension.

For Werner, it’s clearly nearing “The Final Countdown” to make an important decision for his future.

Ancelotti admits he tried to bring Keita to Bayern (Squawka)

Former Bayern boss and current Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti wanted to bring Naby Keita to Munich, but the former RB Leipzig player ultimately opted for Liverpool.

Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he attempted to sign Naby Keita while in charge at Bayern Munich. Ancelotti managed Bayern for a season-and-a-bit but was sacked in September 2017 after a crushing Champions League group-stage defeat for PSG. Now managing at Napoli, Ancelotti has spoken of his relationship with former players and revealed his attempt to hijack the Reds’ Keita deal while still in charge at Bayern. “I wanted to sign him at Bayern Munich and Rummenigge said I could meet him here in Naples,” Ancelotti told Corriere Dello Sport. “He was incredible at Leipzig. In Liverpool, he has highs and lows.”

Reus bleeds black and yellow (@ESPNFC)

When broached with the topic of whether or not he would ever joining Bayern, Dortmund star Marco Reus was pretty confident in his response:

Honigstein crushes James-to-Arsenal rumor (The Express)

ESPN’s Raphael Honigstein went on Gooner Talk TV to dispel any myths about a potential move to Arsenal for James Rodriguez (as captured by The Express):

I don’t quite know where the story comes from. James Rodriguez is on a two-year loan at Bayern at the moment, he’s approaching the last six months of that loan. Bayern have paid €10-12 million for those years and they have an option to make the move permanent by paying €42m. I don’t see what Bayern would gain now from breaking the loan short and giving him to Arsenal for half a year, I don’t even know how you would structure that. If the player says he doesn’t want to stay here, then he goes back to Real Madrid and they can decide what they want to do. He would now somehow be released three quarters into a two-year loan just when Bayern don’t have Thomas Muller for the next two Champions League games. It’s just a crazy story, I just don’t even understand who even had the imagination to come up with it.

Well, okay then. Although Goal thinks there could be more to it.

(Yes, we know this is outrageously absurd and Uli Hoeness might have erupted if he saw this!)