Daily Schmankerl: Manchester City eyeing 5 players for Sané, Coutinho out for Bundesliga, back for Champions League?

Five Bayern players Manchester City could take for Sané (MEN)

File this story away under “wishful thinking.” As the dek to this Manchester Evening News story says, “German international winger seems certain to leave Manchester City to join Bundesliga champions.”

That “German international” is Leroy Sané. Here is what MEN says:

Leroy Sane looks increasingly likely to join Bayern Munich this summer, with Manchester City understood to be happy to sell the want-away German winger at the right price.

However, football’s global suspension is likely to have an impact on the transfer market, meaning it could be difficult for the two clubs to agree a fee for Sane, so could a swap deal be the solution?

Well, “if so,” then maybe Manchester City could get something more than a low transfer fee. David Alaba would be City’s “dream option.” He also happens to be the most “poachable” option, since Alaba has not yet signed a contract extension. It still remains very unlikely, not least because it remains to be seen whether Manchester City’s two-year Champions League ban for violating financial fair play will be upheld.

The other options? Kingsley Coman: so Bayern would add one winger and cut another one? Leon Goretzka: Goretzka has not started as often has he may have liked, but don’t count on Bayern Munich to part ways with a young, talented German midfielder who has performed excellently when he plays. Fiete Arp: Arp has suffered setbacks since arriving and not yet played in the Bundesliga. MEN thinks “Arp will no doubt be looking for a loan next year,” but they probably have not heard of Bayern II’s striker Kwasi Wriedt, who is transferring away. Don’t count on Arp to bail. Lars Lukas Mai: Mai is one of Bayern’s defensive talents who may well go out on loan for first-team experience somewhere. But why would Mai agree to a transfer to Manchester City... who would then send him out on loan.

Hermann Gerland remains assistant coach with Klose (AZ)

The Tiger will still be prowling the Allianz Arena next season: Hermann Gerland will return next season as Hans Flick’s assistant. Gerland is remaining on Flick’s coaching staff in spite of the addition of former Germany striker and Bayern’s U-17 coach Miroslav Klose.

Flick’s team will comprise Gerland, Klose, Danny Röhl (analysis), Toni Tapalovic (goalkeeping coach), and Holger Broich (fitness).

Flick called Gerland back to the coaching staff in November 2019. Gerland served as assistant coach to a series of Bayern’s coaches of the past decade: Jupp Heynckes, Louis van Gaal, Pep Guardiola, and Carlo Ancelotti. He moved to the FC Bayern Campus after Jupp Heynckes retired for the second time in 2018.

The dreaded Super League rears its head (The Sun)

Watch out: “The threat of a new European Super League is growing because of football’s financial meltdown across the Continent,” The Sun warns. “The vultures are circling again believing there will never be a better time to strike, by tempting the biggest names to ditch their own leagues for a new rebel group.”

Those vultures are private equity and venture capitalist firms that hope to persuade enough of the biggest teams in Europe to form their own league. Who are these nefarious actors? “It is understood there are several groups, backed by nation states with huge funds from the natural commodities markets, looking to bankroll a new venture,” says The Sun.

Now who could that be?

At any rate, there are two hypothetical models: one is a fixed league of 20-22 clubs. There would not be any relegation or promotion. The other option is a league

One proposal is to have a single league of 20 to 22 of the biggest clubs, without promotion and relegation. And the other option is a league of two divisions of 16 teams each.

Coutinho possibly out for the Bundesliga — but back for the Champions League? (Mundo Deportivo)

Mundo Deportivo claims that Philippe Coutinho may already have played his last game for Bayern Munich. The club initially stated that Coutinho would begin rehabilitation in two weeks’ time. But Mundo Deportivo says it has learned that Coutinho will need six weeks to recover from his ankle surgery.

If the Bundesliga really resumes this coming weekend, the faster pace of the games could make it impossible for Coutinho to play again for Bayern in the league.

He could, however, be available to play in Bayern’s Champions League campaign, when Chelsea FC comes to Munich to play in August. The catch, though, is that Coutinho’s loan contract ends in June 30. Maybe FIFA will think of something.