The competition is gearing up, the German champions are currently downgrading.
► Manchester City are about to sign Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (21). The striker was in Brussels for a medical check-up yesterday, and BVB will announce the transfer of the Norwegian, including a five-year contract, later this week. Jan Age Fjörtoft (55), Haaland compatriot and close to the family, tweeted: “Finally a decision has been made. Erling Haaland will play for Manchester City next season.” Real and Bayern were informed of the decision last week.
► Real Madrid offers Kylian Mbappé (23) a monster salary and a three-digit million bonus. The deal is considered safe.
► Dortmund has already got two defensive stars in Niklas Süle (26) and Nico Schlotterbeck (22), with offensive talent Karim Adeyemi (20) almost everything is clear.
The big question: Where are YOUR newcomers, Bavaria?
Officially, Munich have not yet brought anyone. Two transfers are almost fixed:
► Right-back Noussair Mazraoui (24) free transfer from Ajax.
► In the case of midfield top talent Ryan Gravenberch (19), Bayern are still haggling with Amsterdam about the fee. The Dutch do not want to give him under 30 million.
A transfer is still under discussion:
► Bavaria should deal with Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer (24 / contract until 2023). However, RB only starts to ponder from 20 million – the people of Munich do not want to pay that much.
Mazraoui, Gravenberch, Laimer? Good players – but no reinforcements that help the team immediately.
So far there has only been one painful departure instead: defense boss Süle. Substitute? Not in sight.
Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic (45): “We don’t have an infinite amount of money. We extended some contracts, we tried to keep the core of the team. We give everything, but we have limits.
Trainer Julian Nagelsmann (34) is also making steam internally. And there is a risk of hanging games for two top stars!
► Robert Lewandowski (33/contract until 2023) wants to go to Barcelona, but Bayern doesn’t want to let him go. Salihamidzic: “We will hold the talks, we have already held some. Let’s see what happens.”
► Serge Gnabry (26) made a 19 million offer to Bayern. Salihamidzic: “We try to offer the best for every player. That’s why it’s up to him to decide.”
Bayern is threatened with a tough transfer summer. Or does Salihamidzic still have aces up his sleeve?
His son Nick (19) recently tweeted: “After this transfer window, remember everything you said, there is no turning back after all the comments.” Apparently he wants to say: You critics will still be surprised who my father is signing …