Daily Schmankerl: Pochettino Bayern Munich’s no. 1 target, or maybe Xabi Alonso? Thomas Müller on his role at 30, and more!

Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino Bayern’s top target (Football Insider)

Football Insider claims that it has “learned” that Bayern Munich wants “to make Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino their permanent head coach next summer.”

A German source has told Football Insider that Pochettino is firmly on the club’s radar as they look to beat multiple elite clubs to the man who took Spurs to their first-ever Champions League final this year.

Well, being on the “radar” and being the first choice are not exactly the same thing, are they? At any rate, if Bayern Munich actually pursues Pochettino (and he and sporting director/soon to be “board director for sport” is reputedly a fan), the club will face competition from several other clubs eager to sack their current managers, above all Manchester United. Pochettino will have three years left on his contract at the end of the 2019/20 season. Hence they expect Tottenham to exact a transfer fee of around €30m.

Or maybe Xabi Alonso? (Daily Star)

Photo by Europa Press Entertainment/Europa Press via Getty Images

Funnily enough, this same publication also ran the Pochettino report above (right here), so they are not exactly taking a firm stance behind any of the rumors they are peddling. But why let that stand in the way of putting Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso in the transfer rumor headlines, too? They write,

“Alonso is admired in the club and especially among the board and executives,” according to a source within The Athletic.

And they go on to quote that source at greater length:

He’s just getting started, basically in a youth league. Bayern are not a developed team at present. They need to restructure and have lots of homework to do before thinking about Alonso. That’s probably a solution for two or three years from now.

Oh. Why am I reading this again?

Celtic interested in former prospect Niklas Dorsch (Telegraph Sport)

Neil Lennon, head coach of Celtic FC, recently stated that Celtic will attempt to reinforce its roster in the January transfer window. Telegraph Sport claims that “one target” is 21-year-old former Bayern youth player Niklas Dorsch. Dorsch spent six years with Bayern and appeared in just one game with the senior team. He notably rejected a contract extension with Bayern and transferred to Heidenheim in the 2.Bundesliga. He subsequently argued that he “was not given a fair chance” at Bayern and urged other youth players to seek playing time in the 2.Liga.

Müller at 30: don’t measure me by goals (Bundesliga.com)

Thomas Müller is back (though he never really left). The most obvious beneficiary of the departure of Niko Kovac, Müller has leapt back into his ideal position in the starting lineup behind Robert Lewandowski under interim coach Hansi Flick. Müller already has six assists in limited playing time. He is not concerned about scoring goals. He said, looking back at his 30-goal performance in 2015/16,

Photo by A. Beier/Getty Images for FC Bayern

I’m maybe not that goalscorer any more. I try to be more responsible for the whole team, to give the team structure, organisation and power, and try to do assists.

I also try to score goals but when I have to decide between going into the box or maybe trying to secure the zone in front of the box for the counter-attack, sometimes I decide for the defensive action.

I try to win games, I try to be important for my team but it’s not that important for me to be the top scorer.

Manchester City to throw money at problem (Daily Mail)

After a stinging 3-1 defeat to league-leaders Liverpool, Manchester City’s front office (foreign office?) is determined to fight back by spending big. In other news, water is wet! Seriously, though, what did you expect? The Daily Mail claims,

City will target a new central defender to replace former captain Vincent Kompany, who left at the end of last season, with replacements also needed for David Silva, due to to leave next summer, and Sergio Aguero in the not too distant future.

Both deals would likely cost City a total of at least £100million

Honestly, about €116.5m sounds a little conservative for Manchester City if they really plan to buy three whole players. And this report does not even make mention of the fact that Bayern Munich seems poised to buy Leroy Sané for upwards of €100m. That will offset at least a little of whatever spending spree the City bosses have planned to reassert themselves against Liverpool.

Raheem Sterling dropped from England lineup after altercation with Liverpool rival (Daily Mail)

As you can see in the Mail’s tweet, Sterling and Gomez got into it at the game between ManCity and Liverpool this week. That spilled over when the two reported for international duty. According to the Mail,

Sterling was sat down in the canteen when Gomez arrived and leant over from behind to shake his hand, leading to him to attempt to grab his team-mate by the neck. The rest of the England players initially thought Sterling was joking, but it soon became clear that he had lost control and the pair were separated.

Ergo, Sterling will not be considered for England’s Euro 2020 qualifier on Thursday, although he will be allowed to remain with the squad.

Alles Gute, Philipp Lahm!

There’s a giant bear behind you, Philipp. Not creepy at all.

LEGO Olympiastadion!

This kid is so awesome.