Daily Schmankerl: Manchester City bails on race for Bayern Munich’s David Alaba; Getting Erling Haaland’s take a “huge sum” per agent; Not shocking that Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero has “close to zero” chance for Bayern move; and MORE!

City bails out of Alaba race (Manchester Evening News)

Manchester City was not listed as one of the “final four” teams in contention for Bayern Munich star David Alaba and Pep Guardiola’s club is now claiming it was a mutual break-up:

Manchester City are not interested in making a move for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba. The 28-year-old star has alerted a number of top European clubs after a planned contract renewal with the Bundesliga champions turned sour. Bayern have been very vocal with their displeasure at the failure to reach an agreement - to the dismay of the player - and in November withdrew their offer to leave Alaba free to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Real Madrid appear to be in pole position to snap up Austrian international Alaba, although Premier League clubs Chelsea and Liverpool have also been linked with a move. City’s priority for the summer transfer window remains a striker, having focused on defence last year and midfield the year before that.

Manchester City will likely join FC Barcelona in making an “all hands on deck” proposal Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

Aguero to Bayern? Not per this German outlet (Tz)

Tz loosely speculated that Bayern Munich might be waiting in the weeds to make an offer to outgoing Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, but then said the probability is “close to zero” — which honestly makes sense:

One thing is certain: when a striker of this caliber comes onto the transfer market, the entire football world is on the alert. The big advantage: He is available for free! So why shouldn’t the reigning Champions League winner, the club world champion, currently the best club team on the planet consider signing up?

After all, FC Bayern Munich is always looking for reinforcements. So does sports director Hasan Salihamidzic pick up the phone? The chances are probably close to zero. Due to injury, Agüero only played a fraction of the games in the past, and at 32 he is probably too old for the Reds. And whether he would put up with a backup role? After all, with Robert Lewandowski you already have the top striker in your ranks.

Agüero, who was once voted “best foreign Premier League player of all time” in England, is more likely to move back to Spain. Not to his ex-club Atletico Madrid, but possibly to FC Barcelona. The Catalans are said to be very far in the talks.

Raiola says Haaland move would take a “huge sum” in 2021 (Sport 1)

Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland has exploded onto the world scene over the past two years — at a rate that not many expected (Not me...I totally expected this). His agent Mino Raiola has no doubt Haaland is already at the mega-star level:

Mino Raiola talks about his most promising client - and why he could have ended up at another club.

“Everyone was wrong about Haaland. He has done things much faster than anyone expected. Haaland is ahead of his own development. He’s ahead of his own schedule,” the super-agent said in an interview with The Athletic. Haaland had joined BVB in January 2020. He probably could have gone to an even bigger club even then.

Rumors about his next move are ongoing. In the summer of 2022, he is available for 75 million euros thanks to an exit clause. Looking back, Raiola says, “Maybe I was too cautious when I said, ‘Oh no, let’s move to Dortmund and not to I-don’t-know-where.’”

He said Haaland could move to any club “wherever he wants. He’s already at that level. And he could have done it last year.” If a club were to approach Dortmund about Haaland at the end of the current season, he would probably have to put a huge sum on the table.

Mandzukic’s future with Milan uncertain (Transfer Market Web)

AC Milan is not sure if it will bring back Mario Mandzukic as of yet:

Playing for AC Milan since last January, former Croatian international striker Mario Mandzukic (34), out of an imperfect fitness, is yet to trump his real cards from Rossoneri ranks. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italian giants are yet to decide whether to trigger the year-long extending option set upon former Juventus hitman or not.

Inter’s redesigned crest has people unhappy (@ESPNFC)

Well...what do you think?

World Cup factoid (@Football__Tweet)

If I knew this at some point, I totally forgot because it seemed new to me:

Pretty amazing from Delaney (@BlackYellow)

This is pretty sweet from Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Delaney:

You dropped this crown...(@alvaroodriozola)

The king stay the king...