Daily Schmankerl: Bayern Munich eyeing Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt or Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly?; Liverpool to grab Chelsea’s Timo Werner or Bayern’s Serge Gnabry?; Mo Salah to Real Madrid; and MORE!

Bayern has three defensive targets? (Abendzeitung via @iMiaSanMia)

Could Bayern Munich still be on the hunt for a center-back? According to Abendzeitung, the Bavarians are looking closely at three options from Serie A — Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus), Gleison Bremer (Torino), and Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli). Interestingly, each of the three players has been linked to Bayern Munich before. Most recently, the Bavarians were eyeing Bremer just a few months ago:

Bayern Munich is reportedly looking for a “leader” on the backline, but could also have an eye on some uncertain situations regarding the future of players like Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard.

With Chris Richards (sale) and Tanguy Nianzou (loan) also rumored to be potential candidates to leave Bayern Munich his summer, things could get interesting in the coming weeks.

Klopp honing in on Werner (Caught Offside)

Liverpool could be zeroing in on Chelsea FC’s Timo Werner. Could it be #TimoTime for Jürgen Klopp? It certainly would be interesting:

Liverpool have shown an exceptional talent for bringing in players ahead of time as they transition away from veterans in their side. The finest example perhaps being Roberto Firmino, who was at one point a key player but has been seamlessly replaced. However few could possibly have seen their latest target coming.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are evaluating the possibility of bringing Chelsea forward Timo Werner to Anfield. The report did specify that they weren’t in talks with Thomas Tuchel’s side, but merely that he could be an option for Klopp.

Gnabry to LFC? Some are clamoring for it (Liverpool Echo)

When Sadio Mané transferred from Liverpool to Bayern Munich, many wondered if the move meant the end of Serge Gnabry’s tenure with The Rekordmeister. Now, people following and covering Liverpool seem to be connecting the dots in hope of the Germany international seeking to try his hand in the Premier League once again:

Following Sadio Mané’s Liverpool exit to Bayern Munich, it continues to be reported that one of his team-mates could be making the opposite journey. Serge Gnabry looks to be on his way out of Munich, with his contract expiring next summer and, as of yet, no signs of a new one being agreed.

With the Reds facing the prospect of losing both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino on free transfers at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, replacing them with the former Arsenal winger could be an excellent addition. And while Bayern are determined to keep Gnabry, they admit they will have to find a ‘solution’ if he has his heart set on leaving.

Gnabry’s future appears to be open as of now. With Jürgen Klopp at the helm of Liverpool, it is conceivable that the English juggernaut would at least be in the running for Gnabry. Whether that actually happens or not remains to be seen.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 1, Episode 55 (Bavarian Football Works)

(With Chuck out of pocket for a few days, Samrin stepped in to host the Weekend Warm-up and did so with aplomb. Chuck is back next week for the Season 1 finale!)

Bayern Munich made a big move official this week with Sadio Mané joining from Liverpool. The Robert Lewandowski saga, though maybe on the backburner, is by no means over. Both players feature on today’s topics list:

• How Mané shows Bayern flexing their status as a destination club
• Why Lewandowski might be forced to stay after all
• Saša Kalajdžić rumors and how they relate to Lewandowski
• Do fans have short memories? Why Brazzo needs to keep the good times rolling
• How a Laimer signing could actually cause headaches for Julian Nagelsmann

City closing in on Phillips? (Sport1)

Manchester City might have a bead on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips:

Manchester City appears to be accessing the transfer market again! The Sky Blues are apparently close to signing Kalvin Phillips. As reported by The Athletic, the English champions have reached an agreement with Leeds United to transfer the midfielder.

The fee should therefore be around 48 million euros, plus around 3 million euros in possible bonuses. In addition, Darko Gyabi is set to move to Elland Road for around 6 million. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Guardiola club also agrees with the 26-year-old. For the Citizens it would be the second blockbuster transfer after Erling Haaland.

LFC chasing Asensio? (Football Fancast)

Man...Liverpool seems to be in the mix for everyone. Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio could also be a target for Sadio Mane’s old squad:

Liverpool have been linked to Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio, and it has been reported that Jurgen Klopp is keen to sign the player this summer to replace the Senegalese winger. The £35m dynamo who was dubbed “magical” by football writer Andrew Gaffney, has scored 49 goals and contributed 24 assists in 235 appearances during his time at Los Blancos, with a goal contribution every 167 minutes.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Special Edition — Sadio Mané joins from Liverpool FC! (Bavarian Football Works)

A special pod for a special signing! With the Liverpool FC winger’s signing official, INNN and BPW debutant Fergus discuss all things Mané:

• Instant reactions: excitement or caution?
• Do Bayern need to sell Lewandowski or Gnabry to afford their spending spree?
• Could the board have spent the reported €32 + €9m elsewhere?
• Does Leroy Sané still start?
• Dressing room reactions and fanbase mood
• Where will Julian Nagelsmann use Mané? Left wing? Center-forward?

Be sure to give Fergus a warm welcome for his inaugural podcast!

Chelsea urged to drop Richarlison pursuit, focus on Lewy (The Express)

With Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic, hakim Ziyech, and Callum Hudson-Odoi all potentially up for sale, Chelsea could be looking into Everton forward Richarlison:

Chelsea have been urged to forget any interest they have in Everton forward Richarlison and instead move for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski this summer. The Polish striker has made his desire to leave the German giant clear and his preference would be to move to Barcelona, but as the Spanish side struggle to raise the necessary funds, Chelsea could swoop in and make their move for a possible Romelu Lukaku replacement.

The Belgian striker is finalising a loan back to Inter Milan, and Ally McCoist believes that it should be Lewandowski that the Blues target and not Richarlison as both have been linked with Chelsea. “I think he [Richarlison] is a good player,” the former Rangers man told talkSPORT. “But to take Chelsea back up to the next level of competing with Liverpool and [Manchester] City for the title, I am not sure he will get you the goals.

“To be honest with you I am not sure he will get you the goals. Whereas someone like, I think [Erling] Haaland is near guaranteed 20 league goals. I would take him [Lewandowski] all day. Proper goal scorer, proven goal scorer. I think Haaland will go on and score goals in the same ilk and mold as Lewandowski.”

Madrid to move on Salah? (Caught Offside)

Real Madrid might have its eye on Liverpool scorer Mo Salah. Is this the end of what was a Golden Era for Liverpool? it is starting to look like a changing of the guard is about to happen:

Liverpool are considering allowing Mohamed Salah to follow in the footsteps of Sadio Mane and leave the club this summer. Liverpool recently announced the sale of Mane to Bayern Munich, with the Senegalese international sold before allowing his contract to expire. Mane’s Liverpool contract was due to end in the summer of 2023, and after expressing his desire to leave the club, Jurgen Klopp was left with little option but to cash in.

The Merseyside club are now considering allowing Salah to take a similar pathway, with his contract also expiring next summer. That’s according to The Sun, who claim Liverpool will allow the Egyptian to leave the club if a fee of around £60m is received. The report also claims that Spanish giants Real Madrid are monitoring the situation, and could make a move to sign him this summer.