Daily Schmankerl: Leon Goretzka on thin ice at Bayern Munich; Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, PSG all eyeing Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović; Chelsea still wants Neymar; Thiago Alcantara back to FC Barcelona?; Thibaut Courtois leaving Real Madrid?; + MORE!

Goretzka or Goneretzka? (Sky Sport via @iMiaSanMia)

It appears that Leon Goretzka’s future really might be somewhere other than from Bayern Munich.

Per Sky Sport, Bayern Munich will let Goretzka go for an offer in the neighborhood of €40 million to €50 million:

Bayern would let Goretzka go if they get a ‘serious offer’ of €40-50m. As of now, Tuchel is planning with Konrad Laimer next to Kimmich in midfield. Goretzka does not want to leave (yet), but it remains to be seen whether he’d change his mind depending on game time.

Manchester United are still monitoring Goretzka’s situation closely even after signing Mason Mount. In addition, 2-3 other top clubs are interested in the midfielder if he’s available on the market.

Knowing Goretzka is not exactly a favorite of Thomas Tuchel will give any bidder some serious leverage. With that factored in, Bayern Munich could be lucky to get a proposal worth €25 million to €30 million.

The speculation that Tuchel does not exactly want Goretza grew this weekend, as well, which was evident in a couple of different ways:

Leon Goretzka wants to stay at Bayern Munich. And: As of today, neither he nor his management have been told that he can look for a new club. But Tuchel’s statement is clear: If Goretzka doesn’t improve, it will be very difficult for him.

Then, there was also this:

I...don’t get the rampant Goretzka hatred that exists. It was not long ago that the legions banded together with their torches and pitchforks to chase Benjamin Pavard out of town...and now many want him back.

It is curious, though, why Goretzka seems to be the primary target for fans these days when there are, well,...so many candidates.

You could start with Sadio Mané, who embraced Mia San Mia so much that he got into an altercation with Julian Nagelsmann, punched Leroy Sané, and allowed his PR flack to insult his Bayern Munich teammates (still no apology).

Or how about Tuchel, who came in talking a great game as the new boss and then managed to do what even Niko Kovac and a burnt out Carlo Ancelotti were able to do — win a Bundeliga title, while overseeing a loaded roster.

Even Ryan Gravenberch is getting a pass from fans despite his biggest actions of the season being his complaints to the media.

Those are just three examples; you really could find flaws with any member of last season’s team (Yes, #MüllerMafia...your man, too!)...that is not even debatable, but Goretzka is the one catching the most heat.

Was he great? No. Was he the worst on the team? Far from it.

All that said, I do feel like Goretzka is in his final weeks with the club. The signs are all there. Tuchel is not a fan, the club has some depth at the position (and could have more if it signs a true No. 6), and there appears to be a willingness to part ways with the Germany international.

It just seems like the time is now.

Chelsea, Tottenham join PSG in Vlahović sweepstakes (@RudyGaletti)

It sort of feels like Bayern Munich has a decent chance to get Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, but if the Bavarians fail in that quest, Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović might not be available as a contingency plan.

Paris Saint-Germain was already listed as a possible destination for the Serbian, but Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the mix:

Neymar still being ogled by Chelsea (Le Parisien via 90Min.com)

Chelsea FC might be looking for a way to make its dream of getting Neymar to come true:

Neymar also faces an uncertain future under the new boss and Chelsea will keep a close eye on the Brazilian with a view to a summer bid if he chooses to leave France.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Podcast: Season 3, Episode 1 (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich’s preparations for the new season are commencing as the team is regrouping to attack the 2023/24 season.

As expected there is still a lot of uncertainty with the roster and so many stories that could impact how this team performs in the upcoming campaign. Let’s take a look at what is on tap for this episode:

• It sure feels like Harry Kane is using Bayern Munich as leverage against Tottenham Hotspur. Get the latest news on Kane here!
• No one wants to leave Bayern Munich (well, except Ryan Gravenbech and Alexander Nübel), but it appears that Leon Goretzka, Sadio Mané, Mathys Tel, and Marcel Sabitzer have all caught the Bayern Munich bug.
• Is anyone worried about Manuel Neuer yet?
• Niklas Süle is reportedly “Hulking” up.

Thiago back to Barca? (SPORT via 90Min.com)

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara could be on his way back to FC Barcelona after a spell with Liverpool FC:

Thiago Alcantara could leave Liverpool this summer, with his own return to Barcelona also on the cards.

Raphinha to Al Ahli? (ESPN)

At various points, FC Barcelona winger Raphinha has been linked to Bayern Munich, but now he also could be headed to Saudi Arabia:

Barcelona winger Raphinha remains on the radar of Al Ahli, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs. While the 26-year-old has previously indicated his desire to remain with the Blaugrana, the Saudi Pro League side still intend to pursue a move for his signature. He enjoyed bright form in the La Liga title-winning campaign last season, contributing to 14 goals in 36 matches.

Courtois to PSG? (Defensa Central via 90Min.com)

Could Thibault Courtois be on his way to PSG? Maybe...if Luis Enrique has his way:

New Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has concerns about Gianluigi Donnarumma’s ball-playing abilities and wants to see the French side make a move for Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 5, Episode 53 (Bavarian Football Works)

It’s been another week of relentless transfer rumors, Bayern Munich are no closer to signing Harry Kane but significantly closer to giving Daniel Levy a stroke. There’s been good news — Kim Min-Jae is all but official — but also bad news, with Manuel Neuer reportedly suffering a setback in his recovery. The fans are still looking forward to incoming transfers but for some reason the club is struggling to finalize sales.

In this episode, INNN and Samrin talk about the following:

• What is going on with the Harry Kane transfer?
• How much does Daniel Levy want to sell him?
• Is Harry Kane the missing piece for Bayern Munich to win the Champions League? If so, what is he worth?
• The unexpected benefits of getting Kane versus someone like Vlahovic or Osimhen.
• The long list of players Bayern have not sold yet — Bouna Sarr, Sadio Mane, Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, Yann Sommer (?), Marcel Sabitzer, Alex Nubel, and more!
• There’s honestly so many we forgot a few while recording.
• Is Kyle Walker a good option for Bayern?
• Why Thomas Tuchel doesn’t seem to have as much “control” as the media says.
• Selling Noussair Mazraoui would be a mistake, full stop.
• Thomas Tuchel seems like he’s in for a headache at the start of the Bundesliga next season.
• Ryan Gravenberch could leave, but does it matter?
• Manuel Neuer could be out for the start of next season — what should Bayern do?
• Samrin has a theory about Alex Nubel.
• INNN has delusions of grandeur.