Daily Schmankerl: Kai Havertz acknowledges rumors; a Bayern Munich vs. SC Freiburg prediction; Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Bayern (!?); and MORE!

Havertz acknowledges transfer rumors (The Mirror)

Bayer Leverkusen 19-year-old star Kai Havertz has heard the rumors and gave a very mature take on how he will approach the whispers. Chiefly, Havertz has been linked to Bayern Munich, Juventus, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

The media push it all up a bit and I know that I have a contract here and I want to do everything we can to put us in an international position at the end of the season. There is a lot of speculation, but I still have a contract here until 2022. In the summer we will know more. I do not believe everything that’s in the paper, there’s a lot of talk in general, some things are true, some are not. I personally can handle the headlines well because I know what I want.

Of course, Calciomercato ran to the extreme with this and interpreted Havertz’s statement to be a little more extreme with this headline: “Bayern, Liverpool and Juve targets hints at summer exit: ‘I know what I want.’”

It is still hard to see Leverkusen letting Havertz go this summer unless there is a strong nine digit offer on the table.

Bayern vs. Freiburg: A prediction (Bavarian Football Works)

The international break could have come at the best time or the worst time depending on your perspective. After a grueling slate of games, the break could have represented just the type of respite needed by some of Bayern’s veterans as they enter the home stretch of the season. Conversely, you could believe that aside of the Liverpool games, Bayern had finally hit its peak level of performance under Niko Kovac and might have been knocked off kilter a bit from the lack of continuity.

Regardless, I’m thinking SC Freiburg is in for some trouble today. Christian Streich is brilliant mind, but he just doesn’t have the weapons in his arsenal to match up with Bayern. Luca Waldschmidt has shown some flashed of his great potential this season, but Nils Petersen (questionable with a thigh injury) has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride with his performance. Even if both players are healthy and at the top of their respective games, it would be tough for Freiburg to break through here.

This looks and feels like another game where Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski are going to be able to dictate the offensive movement for Bayern and create enough space for the entire lineup to be active participants in the attack. Even without David Alaba, Bayern should be able to keep their momentum and steamroll past Breisgau-Brasilianer.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 4, SC Freiburg 0

Mkhitaryan to Bayern? (Focus)

This makes zero sense, but let’s give it a whirl. Could Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan be headed to Bayern this summer?

This week, immediately after the internationals of the Armenian national team, the 30-year-old midfielder was spotted at the airport in Munich. He readily took pictures with fans. Even more, on request of a fan, what he is doing in the Bavarian capital, he said, according to information from VIP News: “I’m on the way to Bayern.”

I need to finish the last quote: “I’m on my way to Bayern...to visit the fan shop.”

Lahm details why he rejected Barca (Goal.com)

Bayern legend Philipp Lahm once rejected FC Barcelona and here’s why:

Barcelona, who back then were the benchmark in European football, wanted to bring me to Spain. The offer was attractive. Even my close friends that knew about the offer slapped on my shoulder and said: ‘Cool, Philipp. When will you sign?’ But there was a problem, it was me. I admire Barcelona and their players but I didn’t see myself at Camp Nou. Back then I played in a Bayern team that was building to something. I knew that our team would be able to achieve something great. And I thought about how happy I would be if I would win the Champions League with my home town club Bayern Munich over doing it with Barcelona. I rejected Barcelona.

That time in 2008 when Xabi amost joined Juve (Calciomercato)

Former Bayern midfielder Xabi Alonso has a lot of admiration for former Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti and Italian football in general. In fact, the Spaniard almost joined Juventus back in 2008.

(Carlo) Ancelotti? I learned a lot from him, he’s an exceptional person full of charisma. We often talk. I’ve been fortunate to play in the big leagues. I could’ve joined Juventus in 2008 but in the end, the deal didn’t materialize. I have always liked Italian football.

Boateng with a training ground beauty (@FCBayernUS)

A rundown of logos (@BayernNo)

Schweinsteiger focus of Google Talks conversation (Chicago-Fire.com)

Chicago Fire star and Bayern legend Bastian Schweinsteiger was the focal point of a Google Talks conversation where he gave his input on a number of topics from his season with the Fire to pathways for American youth players.