Daily Schmankerl: Bayern Munich targets United’s Dean Henderson as Neuer’s heir, Messi courts Moukoko, and a fan-owned club in the UK?!

Bayern Munich now wants Manchester United’s Dean Henderson (Whoscored)

If you happened to read the Daily Schmankerl two days ago, you might have noticed at the end of the Troy Parrott story that the Daily Mail mentioned that Bayern Munich was also interested in Manchester United’s goalkeeper Dean Henderson, currently on loan at Sheffield.

Yesterday’s afterthought, today’s transfer story! Whoscored (which also publishes transfer stories and other news) elevated the Mail’s little bit to a full-fledged story.

Bayern Munich have earmarked Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson as a potential long-term replacement for Manuel Neuer, claims The Daily Mail.

The Bundesliga champions have their eye on Neuer’s successor amid concerns the 33-year-old is past his best.

They continue, Bayern doesn’t want Arsenal’s Bernd Leno (obviously), so the 22-year-old Henderson will do. Never mind all the stories in the German media about Alexander Nübel, who plays for some club called Schalke, and Christian Früchtl, whose existence is disputed on the island.

Messi sends Dortmund’s Moukoko birthday presents (ESPN)

Dortmund’s wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko got a special birthday package on his 15th birthday: presents from Lionel Messi! Is that “tapping up”? I don’t know. Maybe?

Moukoko reportedly said, "Oh my god! Got this as a gift from my idol. Many thanks, Leo Messi. Thanks for all your birthday wishes," on Instagram.

Young Moukoko has been dominating the upper levels of youth soccer in the Bundesliga. He scored 40 goals for Dortmund’s U17 (starting at the age of 12), and has scored 18 goals in 11 games — one every 54 minutes!

Timo Werner: pretty good soccer player! (Bundesliga.com)

Bundesliga.com profiled RB Leipzig and Germany’s number 9, Timo Werner. He is closing in on 200 Bundesliga games, which is an amazing tally at only the age of 23.

He began his professional career at the age of 17 when he debuted for VfB Stuttgart in 2013 as their youngest player ever in their 120-year history. Since then, Werner has scored 74 goals at a rate of one every 185 minutes, but that rate hides the fact that Werner managed just 13 total at Stuttgart and has scored 61 since 2016, when he transferred to Leipzig.

Ribery: “I’m real” (GianlucaDimarzio.com)

Ribery graces the cover of today’s Corriere dello Sport. “Ribery as you’ve never seen him before,” they say. Ribery says he has never forgotten his origins, and he feels that “Florence is the ideal place to play soccer. The people live for the team.” He also apparently is not a fan of VAR. And “dribbling,” Ribery says, “is like a religion.”

Lottery winner buys Scottish Championship club, gives it to the fans (Scotland Herald)

What a story! Colin Weir, who won £161 million with his wife (now divorced) in 2011, has just bought 55% of his beloved club, Partick Thistle, which plays in the Scottish Championship (currently 10th). In addition to the shares, Weir also bought some of the land used by the club, including the main stands. What’s the catch with this big investor? He plans to give all of it away to the fans!

Weir had already invested £2.5m in the club’s youth academy. Now that he has bought a controlling share in the team, he will restore all of it to the fans in a move reminiscent of Germany’s 50+1 rule. Weir’s shares will be transferred to fans for free by March 30, 2020, giving the club several months to prepare for fan ownership.

Weir said,

Thistle for Ever [the fan group spearheading the campaign] planted the thought of fan ownership as a real option in my mind.

But this has all happened quicker than anyone might have anticipated. That’s why I have offered a three to four month window for fans to get everything in place before handing over shares.

They want to get it right and I want to be sure that when the new entity is operational, there is a structure that will allow for a smooth transfer of ownership. This is a major financial commitment on my part as fan owners will not need to repay a penny — but I believe this gives fan ownership the best possible start.

There will be a further announcement about the members of the interim Board and, subsequent to that, in relation to my funding of the Thistle Weir Youth Academy.

Today is a great day for a Club that means everything to me. I hope that fans can get behind this exciting development. They talk about Thistle being their Club — and now it really will be.

Borussia Dortmund seals major new deal with Puma

Borussia Dortmund has extended its outfitting deal with Puma until 2028, bringing the club about €30m per season for around €250m total, a €20m increase over their current deal, which expires at the end of the current season.