Daily Schmankerl: PSG to replace Neymar with Havertz, drop Draxler for Eriksen? Mallorca beats Real, João Félix out, Löw reacts to Süle, and MORE!

Kai Havertz PSG’s replacement for Neymar? (10Sport)

PSG is supposedly planning for life after Neymar if the will-away star finds a buyer willing to overpay for his services in the summer transfer window of 2020. Transfermarkt puts his value at €180m, but anything is possible when it comes to Neymar. If and when the Brazilian departs, French outlet 10Sport claims PSG might make Bayer Leverkusen an offer of €100m for the German star.

And PSG has some friendly faces who could help smooth the way for Havertz: national teammates Julian Draxler and Thilo Kehrer play for the Parisians — not to mention German-Cameroonian winger Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting! — and PSG has a German coach with a good pedigree, Thomas Tuchel. That would throw a potential wrench into Bayern Munich’s plans to sign the rising Germany star — unless Bayern decides to retain Coutinho. Or could Coutinho be the backup plan, if Havertz takes his skills elsewhere?

Löw responds to Niklas Süle’s injury — no mention of Hummels (Kicker)

Germany head coach Joachim Löw gave a statement on the ACL injury suffered by Niklas Süle, which also deprives the German national team of its best defender. Löw said,

Losing him is also painful for us and hampers the evolution of our young team currently in the midst of transition. [Süle] is the face of the young generation of players to which we are giving ample room in the context of the rebuild. He was an anchor in our plans and had regular starts both with his club and with us. I’m sure that he’ll fight back. But now we will not put any pressure on him whatsoever and continue to support him as best we can. He knows that. The most important thing for now is that the operation goes well.

A whopping 77% of over 96,000 Kicker respondents think that Löw should recall Borussia Dortmund center-back Mats Hummels to the national team. Hummels was one of three Bayern Munich players, together with Jerome Boateng and Thomas Müller, who were abruptly dismissed last year, without chance of redemption. Löw now may be forced to reconsider his uncompromising decision.

PSG planning to nab Eriksen on a free after shipping out Draxler? (Daily Mail)

Pairs Saint-Germain just can’t keep its paws off of Bayern’s transfer targets, whether real or hypothetical. The Mail claims that PSG is plotting to sign Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen on a free transfer next summer. Tottenham Hotspur would prefer to sell Eriksen this January in the winter window, the club’s last chance to receive a transfer fee, but PSG has other plans: Eriksen could hold out for a better deal in the summer, when he will be a free agent, and PSG could legally have him commit to a precontract in January.

That would, of course, take Eriksen off the table for Bayern (insofar as he is on it at all in reality), but the move would also have consequences for a member of the German national team: PSG plan to make room for Eriksen by shipping out Julian Draxler along with Leandro Paredes.

RB Leipzig’s Upamecano probably leaving in the summer (Kicker)

Thanks to the revelations of Football Leaks, it is known that RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano’s buyout clause will drop to €60m in 2020. Indications suggest that Upamecano is not inclined to extend with Leipzig. The Lawnballers thus will probably accept a suitor for the 20-year-old this summer before he enters the final year of his contract, which ends in 2021.

Former Bayern starlet Sinan Kurt clubless at 23 (Bild)

After leaving Bayern for Hertha Berlin, Sinan Kurt found a temporary home in Austria with WSG Tirol. Now the Austrians have released him after less than a year rather than give him a new contract.

Kurt dominated at the U-17 level and enjoyed impressive success at the U-19 level, but stagnated at higher levels and earned a reputation as a problem player. At Hertha, he was even banished from training with their second team. He told Bild, “Of course I didn’t do everything right. But who does at 18?”

Kurt is now training three to four times a week at a training center, where he works alongside SC Freiburg’s Robin Koch, who recently made his debut for Germany.

You’re waiting already on the phone call that saves you and often ask whether clubs have inquired. [...] For me, there’s only soccer. I’ve invested so much, sacrificed half my youth for it. I’m not thinking about the end!”

Pure Schadenfreude: Real loses to Mallorca (Transfermarkt)

Good times in Spain! Well, if you’re not from Madrid. Real Madrid stunningly lost to the Steve Nash’s RCD Mallorca 1-0! Lago Júnior from Ivory Coast scored the winner in the seventh minute, and neither Zidane nor his sundry stars could do anything about it. Former Eintracht Frankfurt star striker Luka Jovic enjoyed a rare start. He was substituted after an hour.

Things went even worse for the other club from Madrid, Atlético. The Colchoneros parted with FC Valencia in a 1-1 draw, but they lost they young superstar João Félix to a sprained ankle. He will be sidelined for around three weeks. That is, well, good news for Bayer Leverkusen, who play Atletico this Tuesday at 12:55pm (ET) after losing their opening two matches in their Champions League group.

Thiago, Juan Bernat, and Rodri just playing catch

José Mourinho, elite troll — thinking about Germany?

Mourinho was also asked whether he would like to add a Bundesliga championship to his resume. Mourinho played coy:

If I say yes, everyone will say José wants to go to the Bundesliga so I cannot say yes. I can only say I want to win my 9th league title and third CL title.