🚨 Christian Falk's Fact Files - Klopp's internal Bellingham talks, Arsenal have £100m Mudryk alternative, Newcastle's salary pitch to Dortmund star, and more
https://caughtoffside.substack.com/p/christian-falks-fact-files-klopps
Today's exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Kai Havertz, Moussa Diaby, Piero Hincapié, Thomas Tuchel and more.
Christian Falk
1 hr ago
Today’s top stories:
Chelsea already know Graham Potter’s potential replacement if he should get the axe
Jurgen Klopp’s major Jude Bellingham admission
And plenty more on Marco Reus, Jesper Lindstrøm and Youssoufa Moukoko
Arsenal
We know that Arsenal already had contact with Moussa Diaby for last summer, so he’s still on the list, just not for the winter. We heard Leverkusen don’t want to sell him. Perhaps if Arsenal have a lot of money somewhere, maybe £100m, Leverkusen would then have a discussion but I don’t think Arsenal can spend that, as we’ve seen from the amount they were prepared to pay for Mykhaylo Mudryk.
[Moussa Diaby has 12 goal contributions in 22 games - (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)]
But they knocked on the door last summer, so I’m sure they’ll knock again next summer.
He’s still a hot topic at Newcastle but even they weren’t able to spend more than €70m. He’s really expensive and Leverkusen will keep hold of him if a crazy offer doesn’t arise.
I don’t see an offer coming about at this moment. Perhaps Liverpool will join the poker table at some point because he’s perfect for this team. But, for now, I don’t think there will be any movement on this front during the winter window.
Click here to get Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive insight into Arsenal’s plans around Wilfried Zaha amid transfer links with the Crystal Palace star.
Bayern Munich
It was a really interesting bit of poker between Bayern and Gladbach for the signing of Yann Sommer. At the weekend, there was an offer on the table from Bayern worth €4m plus €2m in add-ons; on Sunday it was €5m with €3m in add-ons; Monday a new offer of €6m with €2m in add-ons but Gladbach didn’t want to sell because they wanted to set up a transfer for Jonas Omlin.
There was then another call from Bayern Munich on Monday evening where they offered €8m plus €1m in add-ons. Overnight there was movement in terms of Gladbach’s pursuit of Omlin, culminating with an agreement arranged on Wednesday that saw them pay €8m and €1.5m in add-ons.
So, the roulette was running: Sommer to Munich and Omlin from Montpellier to Gladbach.
There were rumours at one point linking Guglielmo Vicario with Bayern Munich - I can say he was not in the conversation at any time. It’s not true.
Will Julian Nagelsmann bring in any further signings? I think it was very expensive for Bayern Munich because Manuel Neuer is one of the best earners in the league. They still have to pay his salary and that of Yann Sommer’s, who will earn about €5m a year, not forgetting either his contract lasting until 2025. There’s the transfer fee to consider too, so Bayern Munich won’t have money to buy a new player.
📰 Bayern Munich are showing interest in signing Chelsea’s Kai Havertz (FCB Inside, via CaughtOffside)
Borussia Dortmund
Youssoufa Moukoko has decided to extend his stay with Borussia Dortmund, signing a contract that will keep him with the club until 2026. The player will earn €6m per year on top of a €10m signing fee (with his agent, Patrick Williams, receiving a €5m fee), with the package totalling €33m.
It’s rumoured that Newcastle did offer to pay a €30m signing fee, plus a €10m salary to try and prise the player away from Dortmund.
Anthony Elanga is a serious option for Dortmund, he’s on the list, but they don’t have the money to buy him, so it would be a loan deal. The sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, can try to sell some players (like Thorgan Hazard) in the next six months to help fund a potential permanent deal for Elanga.
I heard there aren’t any talks yet, but the idea is there in Dortmund.
[Anthony Elanga in action for Manchester United - (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)]
Chelsea
I think Todd Boehly will try to hold on to Graham Potter for as long as he can given how dissatisfied fans were with the decision to axe Thomas Tuchel.
If Potter doesn’t improve Chelsea’s form in the league, however, Boehly may be forced to look at alternative managerial options anyway.
We heard that already in the summer Chelsea knocked on Oliver Glasner’s door to see if there was any interest in joining the project in London as manager. It wasn’t so concrete and, in the end, they went with Potter.
That being said, Boehly will have been very impressed with how Glasner won the Europa League with Frankfurt. If he has to get rid of Potter, Glasner could be a viable option. It’s worth remembering that Chelsea’s technical director, Christopher Vivell, did originate from RB Leipzig.
When you’re coming from Red Bull’s coaching programme - everyone who graduates holds a special philosophy - as Glasner has, you tend to share a similar view to current and former employees of a Red Bull club. So, you see, Vivell and Glasner have the same view on football, which is one good reason as to why he could be a hot topic at Chelsea if Potter gets sacked.
There were many reports in England that Kai Havertz should be on the list of players that should be sold but the club and player know they have to find a solution together as he has a contract until 2025. They don’t want to get rid of him.
Chelsea are thinking of either giving him a new contract or selling him in the summer. Bayern Munich was considered a possible destination before they bought Sadio Mané. There were talks between the agents of Havertz and the club but back then he didn’t want to leave.
If he’s on the market, Bayern Munich will be on the table, but also Real Madrid who were always interested. He always thought of a potential move to Barcelona, though I’m not sure if they have the money to afford him.
Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive CaughtOffside update: “In terms of summer moves for previous targets like Declan Rice or Enzo Fernandez, we have to wait and see...”
READ FABRIZIO ROMANO'S FULL COLUMN
Germany
Fredi Bobic was considered as an option to take up the vacant sporting director role but the German FA couldn’t pay him.
Rudi Völler, the former Germany head coach (2000-2004), officially took up the position in question yesterday evening.
Liverpool
In Frankfurt, they haven’t received any offers yet for Jesper Lindstrøm. We know that Arsenal have been watching him. Liverpool would be a new player on the table (I’m not sure if they need a player like him in his position at the moment) but he’s an interesting player for Premier League clubs.
He has a contract until 2026, so everyone has to see how they want to spend their money in the summer.
It’s good for Liverpool if the talks for Jude Bellingham will take time. There aren’t any offers on the table for Dortmund at the moment, so Liverpool have time to find a solution.
[Jude Bellingham in attendance of Birmingham City’s clash with Reading - (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)]
I heard that Jürgen Klopp internally said he wants the player but he knows that if Bellingham moves for money Liverpool have no chance. If he bases his decision on the football philosophy, he sees a chance.
The club ultimately has to help him with a transfer fee and Liverpool has to make a decision if they want to stump up the money. If they can’t pay that, they’re out. Real Madrid aren’t doing so well in the league and have to do something and it’s worth remembering that they have more money.
I think Klopp will find a solution with the player about money but Liverpool has to find a solution with Dortmund about the money.
💬 Who should Liverpool sign instead of Jude Bellingham if they fail to land the Borussia Dortmund star? Let me know in the comments!
Manchester City
For İlkay Gündoğan, it’s very important that he continues to work with Pep Guardiola. So if the manager commits to several more years at Manchester City, he could certainly see himself staying put.
Otherwise, interest from Barcelona is an option for him as their footballing philosophy is considered a sound fit. I’ve also heard about interest from Juventus, which I don’t think will be the leading option, though an option nonetheless.
Manchester United
Manchester United is an option for Marco Reus. I heard there was a meeting between his agent, Dirk Hebel, and Erik ten Hag; they talked about Reus and Erik seemed to be interested. They have to see what happens in the summer but he’s an option as a potential free agent.
Erik is familiar with Marco’s quality, so this will be serious. No decision yet, of course.
I heard also that Hebel had talks with Manchester City - these weren’t particularly concrete, as City feel the player is too old.
Secondly, Hebel then travelled to London, so I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of any links in future between Reus and clubs based in the English capital.
📰 Manchester United are in advanced talks to offload Facundo Pellistri to Flamengo this month on a loan deal until the end of the season (O Jogo, via CaughtOffside)
Real Valladolid
There are some clubs that tried to get Rafael Borré on loan this winter. His former club River Plate and Tigres UANL were interested.
Frankfurt don’t want a loan deal but they would be prepared to sell him. They’re talking about €10m but there hasn’t been an offer on the table for such an amount.
Frankurt were a little surprised because there’s another agent they never heard of - Martin Araoz - who said that Borré is disappointed and wants to change clubs. But nobody knows him and nobody knows why he’s said he’s the player’s agent. It’s all a bit strange.
Schalke
I heard it’s concrete and there’s already an agreement between Schalke and Antwerp for Michael Frey. But Schalke doesn’t have a lot of money, so they’ve had to discuss a loan deal with an option to buy.
They have a bit of money because they sold Florent Mollet to Nantes for €1.5m, plus add-ons. They can’t afford more than a loan deal at the moment but they’re in a position because there is an agreement between player and club.
Thomas Tuchel
He’s very calm at the moment and is just seeing how things develop around him. I think Tottenham would be an interesting club for Thomas Tuchel but I’ve heard that Antonio Conte wants to stay another year.
[Happier times for Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, lifting the Champions League trophy in 2021 - (Photo by SUSANA VERA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)]
Atletico Madrid is on the table for Tuchel but he’s also keeping an eye on what happens with Barcelona and Juventus. Every big club is going to think about serious managerial changes in the summer and there’s already plenty of interest in Tuchel from Europe.
💬 Would you like your club to hire Thomas Tuchel as manager? Let us know below!
Tottenham
Tottenham would be looking at a summer deal for Piero Hincapié. They did knock on Bayer Leverkusen’s door in the prior summer window but they want a lot of money for him. I heard that even a €40m offer last summer wasn’t enough.
I’m hearing that Tottenham will try again but that Chelsea and Arsenal are also keeping an eye on the player.
Click here to get Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Pedro Porro!
READ FABRIZIO ROMANO'S FULL COLUMN
Thoughts on the Bundesliga
I think everybody has to watch how Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala develops - he could be the next big thing, which is why they’re trying to get him on a new contract as soon as possible (his current contract keeps him at Bayern until 2026).
Florian Wirtz is a player no Bundesliga club, other than Bayern, can afford because of his asking price. But Bayern have a lot of players already in his position so I think he could be very interesting for the Premier League.
