Bayern Munich are following the legal dispute between Manchester City and the Premier League but have no plans to pursue Erling Haaland at present, according to Falk.
Manchester City could lose a number of titles and trophies if the case over alleged financial-rule breaches goes against them. Bayern are waiting for the outcome of Manchester City’s appeal before deciding whether to take any action.
The clubs have a close relationship. Former Bayern coach Guardiola held a private meeting with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge last week, with Uli Hoeneß also present, and Bayern are conscious that the case affects Guardiola.
Liverpool are among the clubs whose honours could be affected by the outcome. They missed out on two Premier League titles and one League Cup during Manchester City’s period of dominance. Jurgen Klopp adopted a similarly cautious position when asked about the issue, saying he could not comment while the process remained unresolved.
Klopp has brought renewed optimism to Germany since taking charge of the national team. After Germany’s 1-0 defeat by Greece, he said: “I’d rather start badly than finish badly.”
Falk said the atmosphere around the Germany set-up was very different from during the World Cup. He attended Klopp’s news conference after spending time with the squad from Monday and noted the former Liverpool manager’s continuing connection with British journalists.
Klopp joked with one reporter that the Liverpool journalists’ English was poor and that their Scouse accent was better. Germany then beat Serbia 2-0 in what Falk described as evidence that the new era was progressing in the right direction.
Bayern’s striker plans
Bayern’s immediate priority is extending the contract of their leading striker, Kane. Talks are progressing well and the club expects the English forward to make a decision after the international break.
A new two-year deal, potentially with an option for a third season, would leave Kompany’s side well stocked in that position. Bayern admire Haaland, as do clubs across Europe, but his wages would make a deal extremely expensive. His Manchester City salary is understood to be about €35 million (£29.8 million).
The cost would remain substantial even if Haaland became a free agent because of the signing-on fee involved. Bayern are also satisfied with Kane, whose annual salary is €25 million (£21.3 million), meaning there is currently neither room in the team nor space in the wage budget for Haaland.
Bayern also want to resolve Michael Olise’s contract situation, although their preference is to complete Kane’s renewal first. Olise is on a long-term deal but earns €14 million (£11.9 million) a year, the salary agreed when he joined from Crystal Palace. Musiala and Kane are among the club’s highest earners.
If Olise agrees a new contract early in his current agreement, Bayern are prepared to offer him a significant pay rise. The difference between €14 million and €25 million over three years would be considerable, giving Olise and his representatives time to consider their position.
A possible release clause is likely to be central to those discussions. Olise had one in his Crystal Palace contract, but Bayern have repeatedly said there is no such clause in his current Munich agreement. Kane previously had a release clause, which has expired, while Musiala has one.
Bayern would generally oppose adding a clause to Olise’s new deal, but the figure could determine whether an agreement is reached. The club believes it would need to be at least €200 million. Transfermarkt values Olise at €170 million, and one possibility is that a €200 million clause could apply in the first year before decreasing over time.
Left-wing cover and goalkeeper search
Luis Diaz’s recent comments about the need for another left-wing option have been noted by Bayern. Falk said they were not intended as a complaint, but reflected Diaz’s fatigue and a dip in his current form.
Diaz had expected Arjen Ibrahimovic to remain with the squad as a rotation option, but the teenager was loaned to Augsburg. Alphonso Davies can play on the left, although Bayern do not consider that sufficient cover and are therefore examining the market.
The club are not obliged to make a signing in January and would only act if the right player became available at a reasonable price. Any addition would need to fit the squad properly.
Tim Bender is also viewed as a potential internal solution. The 19-year-old impressed during pre-season and was compared with the “new Lennart Carl” on the right, although he can operate on the left. Bayern figures believe he is highly talented and could develop into another player from the club’s academy.
Bender is not a direct replacement for Diaz. He is not primarily a goalscorer, but regularly creates assists, which could be valuable alongside Kane. His attitude and ambition have impressed the club, and some at Bayern believe his potential may be greater than Arjen Ibrahimovic’s. His injury at the start of the season was therefore particularly unfortunate.
Bayern are also assessing options for a new number two goalkeeper to replace Ulreich next year. Pickford was discussed but is not high on the list. A meeting this week considered several candidates, all of them German goalkeepers.
Leno of Fulham is one possibility, while Dahmen of Augsburg and Oliver Baumann are also under consideration. Baumann briefly became Germany’s number one during World Cup qualifiers and is trying to surpass Charlie Korbel’s Bundesliga appearance record of 602 matches. The 36-year-old has made 527 appearances and would need to remain Hoffenheim’s first-choice goalkeeper to close the gap.
Schwabe of Cologne is another name on the list. The challenge for Bayern is persuading an established starter to accept a reserve role, although being second choice at Bayern remains an attractive position. Ulreich has made approximately 30 official appearances for the club while serving as number two.
Olmo, Reid and Yelch
Dani Olmo is not currently regarded as a serious winter target. Bayern want to concentrate on keeping Olise, whom they consider the best player in Europe for that position.
The situation could change if Olise does not renew his contract and is sold next summer. Bayern sporting director Eberl knows Olmo from their time at RB Leipzig, and the Spanish international could then be considered alongside Wirtz as a possible successor.
Llorente is also not a priority for the right-back position. The 31-year-old has retired from international football but remains under contract with Atletico Madrid, meaning his transfer fee would be significant. Bayern prefer younger players who could later be sold for a profit.
Laimer continues to fill the position, with Stanisic and Boey among the alternatives. Bayern want to sell Boey, which is another reason Llorente does not fit their current long-term approach.
Givairo Reid remains highly rated by Bayern, despite the club being unable to sign him this summer. The problem was not his price or Bayern’s assessment of him, but the failure to sell Boey and remove his wages from the budget.
Eberl had been given a maximum budget of €70 million (£59.6 million) and needed player sales to finance further moves. By the time the window closed, there was no money left for Reid. If Boey can be transferred, Bayern will revive their interest and regard Reid as a high-priority target. However, several Premier League clubs also admire him, and Bayern would struggle to match a price above their valuation.
Real Madrid are aware of Stuttgart centre-back Yelch but are not actively pursuing the 20-year-old, while Bayern also hold him in high regard. Bayern do not currently need another centre-back because Hiroki Ito and Kim Min-jae remain at the club.
If one of them is sold, Yelch could become a strong option. Bayern have shown interest but there have been no substantive negotiations. Real Madrid have not opened talks either, although Khedira, one of Mourinho’s assistant coaches, knows Yelch from his time at Stuttgart and later work as an adviser. Khedira could help establish initial contact, but Bayern currently have the advantage and would be expected to make the first move.
Eberl contract decision
Rummenigge’s decision not to vote in favour of extending Eberl’s contract surprised Falk, particularly because Rummenigge later discussed the matter publicly.
Eight of the nine members at the meeting supported the extension. Rummenigge, who took part online and was the only member not physically present, did not object but also did not vote for it. The 71-year-old said he had not been sufficiently convinced by Eberl and had considered voting against the deal. Bayern president Herbert Hainer called him that morning after hearing about his position.
Rummenigge suggested that player sales had contributed to his reservations. Bayern had hoped to generate €70 million from Alexander Nubel, Zaragoza, Palhinha and Boey, but ultimately recovered €20 million (£17 million), although he indicated the final figure might have been higher.
Eberl received a two-year extension rather than a three-year contract, which is unusual for Bayern. The decision appears to have been a compromise acceptable to the club’s leadership.
