Daily Schmankerl: Bayern Munich scoping Nikola Maksimovic and Kalidou Koulibaly?; Juventus wants Corentin Tolisso; More Schalke 04 hijinx; Erling Haaland to Manchester City; and MORE!

Bayern chasing Nikola Maksimovic and Kalidou Koulibaly (Football Italia)

This has to be one of the most bizarre Bayern Munich transfer rumors to date:

According to Tuttosport, Bayern Munich are interested in signing Kalidou Koulibaly, but the Bavarians don’t want to offer more than €45m. The Turin-based paper reports De Laurentiis met Fali Ramadani in his offices in Rome earlier this week.

Ramadani is the agent of both Nikola Maksimovic and Kalidou Koulibaly who, according to the report, has attracted the interest of Bayern Munich. Koulibaly had been linked with moves to Manchester City and United in the past. De Laurentiis claimed he had rejected a €100m bid for the Senegal international in 2018.

According to Tuttosport, however, Bayern assess the transfer value of Koulibaly in the region of €45m. Koulibaly’s contract with Napoli expires in 2023. Ramadani is also the agent of former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri who has been linked with a return to the club next season.

Sport Bild’s Christian Falk broached the rumor, but did not hit it with an official flexxx. Instead, @iMiaSanMia captured Falk’s take:

Even with the “agent connection”, it seems far-fetched that Bayern Munich would have been all that serious in discussing a move for Koulibaly. The same could assuredly be said of Maksimovic.

Juventus eyeing Tolisso (Ilbianconero.com)

Juventus could be ready to make a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso this summer:

Juventus are thinking of an old market goal, which could become a real opportunity for next summer: it is Corentin Tolisso, who at Bayern Munich is struggling to carve out a leading role and is about to enter the last year of contract. The Bianconeri had already tried in 2017 to bring him to Turin, when he was still at Lyon, but the Germans won heads up. Now the situation is different: Juve think, think again, Tolisso can become the low-cost market opportunity.

Juventus is an interesting club for Tolisso, but if I was him — after everything that he has went through — I’d want to be at a club where I can be a starter, prove my mettle, and be in a position to earn my last big contract after a year or two.

I’m not quite sure Juventus will be able to offer him that field time he desperately needs.

Haaland to City? (Sky)

Per one report, Manchester City is not the frontrunner to land Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland this summer:

Manchester City are favourites over Chelsea to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, according to the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Law.

I think literally everyone wants Haaland and rightfully so. Borussia Dortmund is in the worst of situations: They have a generational talent — who they bought for pennies on the dollar — and yet they’re in the awkward position of almost needing to sell him this summer, so they can maximize their profit on him.

It will never happen, but if I was on the Dortmund board, I’d do just about everything to make him the player I build around:

• High salary: DONE.
• Huge bonus: DONE.
• A lifetime contract with a front office position or club ambassador role attached: DONE.

It might be a bad week to say this, but I feel bad for Borussia Dortmund in this ordeal as it just seems like Haaland is destined to go elsewhere in just a few months.

Schalke gets somehow...worse? (@archiert1)

I’m not so sure an Amazon docuseries on Schalke 04 would not be the most interesting work of art produced this year. That club...well, they’ve got more issues than we can count:

Checking on the THE GOAT (@alvaroodriozola)

Just a GOAT doing GOAT things: