Report: Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus and Denis Zakaria are on Bayern Munich’s most wanted list

Bayern Munich’s midfield is currently deep and balanced, but recent rumors that both Javi Martinez and Corentin Tolisso could be on their collective way out, reportedly has the Bavarians scrambling to identify potential transfer targets for its shadow team.

Enter Borussia Mönchengladbach’s duo of Florian Neuhaus and Denis Zakaria.

Per a report from Sport Bild (print edition), Bayern Munich could be eyeing up Die Fohlen’s dynamic midfield duo. Bayern Munich’s interest in Zakaria should come as no surprise:

According to SPORT BILD information, those responsible in Bavaria are already working on their shadow team for the 2021/22 season, with two Gladbachers in midfield at the top of the shopping list: Denis Zakaria (24) and Florian Neuhaus (23).

Zakaria was already on Munich’s shadow team list this summer. At that time, however, there was no chance of buying the Gladbach player out of his contract until 2022. Currently, Borussia sports director Max Eberl (47) is in talks with the professional to extend the agreement. Gladbach is even prepared to concede an exit clause. If the extension does not work, Zakaria would have to be sold.

Photo by Christian Verheyen/Borussia Moenchengladbach via Getty Images

Borussia Mönchengladbach’s rumored price tag on Zakaria is €40 million.

As for Neuhaus, he would not come cheaply either — but probably less than Zakaria:

Florian Neuhaus is hard to come by, as his contract runs until 2024, and the fact that the native Bavarian has just made the leap into the national team makes him all the more interesting for the Munich team. Above all, Bayern coach Hansi Flick (55) is said to be a great supporter of the transfer.

Interestingly, Neuhaus is yet another player that Flick “likes.” We all know that Flick’s preferred targets from last summer — Timo Werner and Kai Havertz — moved on to Chelsea, but the Bayern Munich front office did go out and get Tiago Dantas, who Flick allegedly campaigned for.

At some point, the Bayern Munich front office is going to have to collaborate more with its manager on personnel decisions if it wants to keep him happy. Will the summer of 2021 be that time? If so, Bayern Munich’s perennially overcrowded midfield could remain that way no matter who leaves from the current roster.