Bayern Munich are currently flying, with new boss Vincent Kompany having re-established the old order in the Bundesliga.

The Bavarian giants have yet to lose a game in the German top-flight – the only side to maintain this record – and lead the table by five points. Notably, they sit nine points clear of Xabi Alonso’s 2023/24 champions Bayer Leverkusen in fourth.

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Eric Dier, however, might be the one clear loser in this process despite having moved on a free transfer to Sabener Straße the prior summer.

Eric Dier’s days at FC Bayern are numbered

Christian Falk now reports that the change in management (following Thomas Tuchel’s exit) simply hasn’t benefitted the former Tottenham ace.

A change in tactics – which now sees the defence play a high line to maximise pressure in the opponent’s half – appears ill-suited to the 30-year-old’s qualities.

“When Thomas Tuchel left his position at Bayern and Kompany came in, it wasn’t necessarily the best set of circumstances for Eric Dier,” the BILD reporter informed CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column with the Daily Briefing.

“This is because the new system has Bayern’s defenders playing incredibly high up the pitch, which means the centre-backs need to be very fast with all this room behind them. This doesn’t particularly suit Dier’s game, so it doesn’t make much sense for Bayern Munich to keep him.

“His contract is running out and he’s 30 years of age. Bayern are looking for new and young defenders who can grow into the role (like Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon).”

Ousmane Diomande transfer could force Dier out

It’s never pleasant for an ageing star to be forced to actively contemplate their future following the arrival of the next shiny toy in the transfer window.

Given Dier is currently struggling for minutes – 141 minutes in six games – under Vincent Kompany, however, it’s difficult to avoid the subject. Particularly given ongoing links to reported Arsenal target Ousmane Diomande.

“I heard the scouts at Bayern Munich have been watching Diomande closely. Many clubs are behind him. He won’t be very cheap, but it’s an investment for the future,” Falk said.

“If Bayern can get a player of this age, I think Eric Dier has to leave. That said, if Bayern don’t sign a new player until the summer, Dier could be an option. He’s doing the job competently when he’s called upon and he’s not complaining loudly when he’s on the bench.

“He’s a good friend of Harry Kane, so it’s not like it’s certain he’ll leave, but he has a full perspective of his situation at the club.”

Harry Kane may prefer Dier to stay

It raises an interesting question of how Harry Kane might react to his former Tottenham colleague being forced to seek pastures new.

Not to suggest the Bayern hierarchy is incapable of communicating the necessity of bringing in more suitable defensive options to meet the demands of Kompany’s football!

However, one might reasonably suspect it’s crossed the minds of decision-makers that the England skipper may not take the news entirely well to begin with.

The post ‘I heard…’ – Ex-Tottenham star could now leave Bayern after fresh transfer revelation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

It seems almost inevitable that Viktor Gyokeres’ remarkable goalscoring form will see him land a move to an elite European outfit.

The Sweden international – currently on 27 goal contributions in 18 games in 2024/25 – signalled his talents to the world once more during Sporting CP’s 4-1 demolition of Manchester City.

With the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester United understood to hold some interest in the forward, a summer transfer window move could very well be on the cards.

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It just remains to be seen who will stump up the required funds to meet the 26-year-old’s reported release clause of £83m. Albeit, it’s allegedly possible that Sporting will allow their top striker to depart for as little as £61m in the summer.

Man Utd could compete with FC Bayern

With the Red Devils struggling in the goalscoring department – particularly in the English top-flight – it’s far from surprising to hear of their maintained interest in Gyokeres.

“Manchester United are big competition for Viktor Gyokeres. It’s easier, of course, for United with Ruben Amorim having swapped Sporting CP for Old Trafford,” Christian Falk informed CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“Also, Bayern already have Harry Kane in the squad, so Gyokeres won’t get so much playing time in Munich, which isn’t a great argument for Vincent Komapany’s side.

“The Red Devils are also interested in another Bayern Munich target in Benjamin Sesko (so you see the club is always competing with the Premier League).”

Bayern Munich have Gyokeres on their shortlist

The Bavarian giants would most certainly provide more than stiff competition for the Primeira Liga star’s services normally.

However, it’s fair to assume that a range of circumstances, not discounting the arrival of former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, will run in Manchester United’s favour. Former Red Devils star Dimitar Berbatov certainly seems to feel that this is a distinct likelihood. He told Sky Sports that he suspects the Primeira Liga attacker, currently ‘scoring goals for fun’ in Portugal, may very well join his former boss in Manchester.

Bayern Munich, for their part, are unlikely to stand in their way, should that eventuality come to pass.

“Bayern Munich have a number of strikers on their shortlist: Omar Marmoush, Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda,” Falk said.

“They’re not planning an immediate signing in the near future; it’s a list to keep in mind for the future. They are thinking about signing a striker, perhaps, in 2026. So any club that is moving now for these players has a big advantage whilst Bayern make the most of Harry Kane.”

On current form, too, Bayern Munich may very well have to accept that this top European talent is considerably likely to be snapped up by a top Premier League club in the summer.

The German reporter went on to add: “Gyokeres isn’t their top target at the moment, though they are very interested in him. Bayern would prefer to see the Swede stay in Lisbon longer so that they could join the market later for him (when his contract is closer to running out and the price isn’t so high).

“The problem is that he’s playing in the same position as Harry Kane and he’s unlikely to want to stay on the bench behind the England international.

“Still, you see how highly rated he is that Bayern see him as a potential successor to Kane. It’s perhaps too early for Bayern to move in for him, but the interest is concrete.

“I would say that, perhaps, after the match against Manchester City in the Champions League, a move to the Premier League could come more quickly.”

The post How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’ appeared first on CaughtOffside.

With Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah unlikely to sign a new deal at the club, Tottenham are one of those already in talks to bring him to the Premier League.

At just 28 years of age the German centre-back clearly has a lot to offer any club, and though he’s rated at €30m (transfermarkt), his contract runs out at the end of the current season, which means the North Londoners could effectively get him for free.

Tottenham in talks for Jonathan Tah

It’s clear that Spurs are looking to improve given their interest in a €65m ace, and adding Tah to their back line would shore up a defence that has looked shaky at times.

Perhaps ominously for the North Londoners, Man United have also been linked with a move for the centre-back, however, with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and others already in situ, that could sway Tah’s mind when he makes his decision.

TBR Football note that Spurs have already been in talks for Tah, and if nothing else that will give the player some food for thought in terms of how badly does a club want him.

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Knowing you’re wanted is obviously a pull for any player, and if Ange Postecoglou gets the chance to sit Tah down and explain to him his plans for the club, the player is bound to be assuaged.

It’s a given that Tottenham will need to be playing in the Champions League in order to help persuade Tah to move though.

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At present they’re down in 10th on 16 points, but they’re only three points behind London rivals Chelsea in third.

If the club can hold their own over the next few games and buy well in the January transfer window, then there’s every chance that they’ll get into the premier European competition for next season.

The post Tottenham in talks to sign €30m defender for absolutely nothing appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly both among the clubs interested in a potential transfer move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane.

The experienced Germany international looks like an exciting opportunity on the market at the moment as he’s heading towards the end of his contract at the Allianz Arena.

This means Bayern could risk losing Sane on a free next summer, which in turn might also mean they’re forced to accept offers for him which fall significantly below his true market value.

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According to Bild, who clearly have similar information to Christian Falk from his recent X post, there is interest from Man United and Arsenal, who could clearly both do well to strengthen their attacking options on the cheap if possible.

? Manchester United are interested in Leroy Sané (28/FC Bayern) and have already inquired about him
?? Sané is a free agent in Summer
?? Also Arsenal London have Sané on their list
?? Sané will wait for the negotiations with FC Bayern before making a decision pic.twitter.com/5nqYsw6oV0

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) November 7, 2024

The report explains that Sane looks to have fallen down the pecking order at Bayern due to the presence of other quality attacking players such as Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and summer signing Michael Olise.

This could play into the hands of suitors like United and Arsenal, though of course it remains to be seen for sure if he’ll end up moving back to the Premier League.

Leroy Sane transfer: Is he what United and Arsenal need?

While Sane will be tempting for top clubs due to his current contract situation, it’s worth asking if he’s actually an ideal option for the likes of the Red Devils and the Gunners.

The 28-year-old shone during his last spell in England with Manchester City, but he’s arguably looked less convincing for most of his time at Bayern.

And while he may well be an upgrade on someone like Antony at United, that’s a pretty low bar, and Arsenal already have the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard as options out wide, so it’s hard to see Sane starting games that often.

The post Manchester United & Arsenal could go head-to-head for exciting winger transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush has reportedly come to the conclusion that he would love to play for Liverpool next season and follow in the footsteps of fellow Egyptian Mohamed Salah. 

The Bundesliga forward is one of Europe’s most in-form players as the 25-year-old has started the 2024/25 campaign on fire. Marmoush has produced 14 goals and 10 assists across 16 matches in all competitions, which has helped Frankfurt up to third in the league standings.

This has naturally resulted in the Egypt international being linked to a bigger club and in recent weeks, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have been the two teams tipped to sign the player in 2025.

According to German outlet BILD, Liverpool have already started talks with Marmoush over a move next summer and state that the transfer process has already been initiated.

It is also stated that the forward has concluded that playing at Anfield would be a dream for him and that the Merseyside outfit are currently the favourites when it comes to where the Bundesliga star will land in 2025.

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Liverpool need to pay €60m to land Omar Marmoush in 2025

Marmoush has a contract with Eintracht Frankfurt until 2027 but that will not matter should a club arrive with a bid between €50m/€60m for the Egypt international, reports Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg. 

This is a reasonable price for a player scoring at the rate the 25-year-old is but it is hard to see where the Egyptian fits into Arne Slot’s team given their current options. However, should Salah depart Anfield at the end of the season, that could see Luis Diaz move to the right, which would open up a space for Marmoush on the left.

Like several other forwards at the Reds, the Frankfurt star can play out wide and through the middle, which is certainly an attraction for the Merseyside club as the Bundesliga talent waits for the Premier League giants to make their move.

The post 14 goals and 10 assists: Liverpool the next destination for one of Europe’s best players appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool could reportedly now face paying as much as €80million for the transfer of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush.

The Egypt international is in fantastic form at the moment, having scored 14 goals in 16 games in all competitions this season, and a remarkable 11 in just 10 appearances in the Bundesliga so far.

Marmoush was recently linked as a serious option for Liverpool by Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, as per the X post below, though there’s now been a further update on his future, with a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claiming his asking price may now have risen to €80m, up from more like €50-60m…

?? Eintracht Frankfurt are currently demanding a transfer fee of between €50-60m for Omar #Marmoush.

Liverpool is indeed a serious option. The interest is real, and there has already been contact between the player’s camp and #LFC. #SGE are aware of it.

Marmoush dreams of a… pic.twitter.com/FxnhmipHhM

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 25, 2024

Marmoush is clearly a world class talent who arguably looks far too good to be playing for Eintracht, and it’s easy to imagine him being an upgrade on someone like Darwin Nunez at Liverpool.

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Other top clubs will also surely show an interest if the 25-year-old is available any time soon, and that could mean LFC need to be fast with this deal.

Omar Marmoush – the signing to fire Liverpool to the title?

Liverpool are flying high under new manager Arne Slot, with the Reds currently five points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

It won’t be easy for the Merseyside giants to stay there, of course, but they’ve given themselves a great chance and can perhaps boost their title hopes with some smart business this January.

Marmoush could be just the signing Liverpool need to go up a level in the second half of the season, with his goals and all-round quality looking like they could really cement their status as title favourites.

It will be interesting to see how this develops in the weeks ahead, however, as €80m is a very high price, and up quite a lot from Plettenberg’s recent report, so it could realistically be unaffordable for most clubs.

The post Liverpool transfer target’s asking price rises to €80million following fantastic form appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are understood to be considering a transfer move for in-form PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi, who is also being looked at by other top clubs.

Sources have told CaughtOffside that Liverpool are currently showing the strongest interest in a potential deal for Pepi, while the United States international is also on the radar of other big names like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.

Liverpool could do with strengthening their attack amid doubts over Mohamed Salah’s future, while Pepi could arguably also be an upgrade on the inconsistent Darwin Nunez in that central striker role.

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The talented 21-year-old is in superb form at the moment and this has put Europe’s top clubs on alert as he could be available for as little as €25million, CaughtOffside understands.

Ricardo Pepi for €25m is surely a no-brainer for Liverpool

Liverpool have Salah nearing the end of his contract, so could possibly lose their top scorer on a free in just a few months’ time.

That alone is surely enough of a reason for the Reds to go all out and bring in a talent like Pepi if he’s available on the cheap.

The talented American youngster has five goals in just ten league appearances this season, and one imagines he’d only improve with better players around him.

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Liverpool have looked superb under new manager Arne Slot, and the Dutch tactician may also know Pepi well from his time managing in the Eredivisie.

Still, one imagines Pepi will have other tempting offers, so LFC might need to move fast for this one.

Sources have informed CaughtOffside that Liverpool’s scouts view Pepi as a good fit for the team due to his technical and mental qualities, so it will be interesting to see if this convinces their recruitment team to step up their pursuit of the player soon.

The post Exclusive: Liverpool considering transfer move for 21-year-old striker valued at €25m appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have been dealt a potential blow in pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi.

The Reds have been linked with the 22-year-old for quite some time with speculation they could approach Dortmund over a deal in the summer.

However, Arne Slot’s chances of signing the rapid wide-forward have been dented after Barcelona joined the running.

Hansi Flick wants Karim Adeyemi to replace Ferran Torres

According to a recent report from Fichajes, Hansi Flick is a big fan of Adeyemi and would love to add him to his options.

The Barcelona boss believes Dortmund’s number 27, who can play on either flank and fill in up front, could be key to his tactical plans — something Ferran Torres has failed at.

The Spain international has struggled to establish himself as a key player since his £46 million transfer from Manchester City in 2021.

Ahead of his contract expiring in 2027, the Catalan club are open to offloading him ahead of his value declining.

Liverpool now at major transfer disadvantage

Consequently, instead of selling him outright, Barcelona are considering using him as a makeweight in a swap offer to Dortmund for Adeyemi.

And should the Spanish giants pursue this type of deal, Liverpool’s transfer chances will suffer as a result.

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Adeyemi could be an option to replace Mo Salah ahead of the Egyptian’s contract expiring at the end of the season, but unable to match Barcelona’s potential offer, Liverpool’s lack of incentive could see them miss out on the rapid 22-year-old.

During his time at the Signal Iduna Park, Adeyemi, who joined from RB Salzburg in 2022, has scored 19 goals and registered 13 assists in 74 games in all competitions.

The post Liverpool disadvantaged in two-way race to sign Dortmund star as Barcelona prepare swap offer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Carlo Ancelotti is under mounting pressure at Real Madrid and could leave his role as manager before the end of the season.

The 65-year-old is enduring a rare tough spell in charge. Los Blancos have lost back-to-back games, including an embarrassing 4-0 thrashing against fierce rivals Barcelona.

And as far down as 18th in the Champions League table, Madrid’s European form, which is usually impeccable, is also suffering.

Florentino Perez has Xabi Alonso top of Carlo Ancelotti replacement shortlist

Consequently, Ancelotti’s position is under threat, and although Florentino Perez’s preference is for the Italian to leave of his own accord due to their strong friendship, the Madrid President is creeping closer to pulling the plug.

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According to a recent report from TBR Football, Perez already has a ‘succession plan in mind’ with Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso top of his shortlist.

The 42-year-old has enjoyed a hugely impressive two years. Not only did Leverkusen win the DFB-Pokal and Bundesliga last season, but they did it by going unbeaten.

Understandably emerging as Europe’s most sought-after coach, Alonso is set to be pursued by some big clubs, including Manchester City, who have him as part of their contingency plan should Pep Guardiola fail to sign a new contract.

During his time in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso, whose contract runs until the end of next season, has averaged an impressive 2.18 points per game.

The post Florentino Perez already has perfect Carlo Ancelotti replacement in mind as ‘succession plan’ emerges appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Sunderland’s 17-year-old talent Chris Rigg is a name that is starting to become well-known amongst the big clubs in Europe as several continue to monitor the youngster’s progress in the Championship.

The midfielder has established himself as a key player in Regis Le Bris’ side and has played a big role in Sunderland’s impressive start to the season as the Black Cats currently sit top of the Championship after 14 games.

Rigg has featured in 13 of those matches, producing three goals from midfield, which follows his breakthrough season last time around, in which he netted his first two Championship goals.

Rigg has a contract at the Stadium of Light until 2027 and heading into the 2025 transfer windows, sources have told CaughtOffside that Sunderland are keen to keep their 17-year-old talent as they push for promotion to the Premier League.

However, the interest of several of Europe’s biggest clubs put the Black Cats in a difficult position to keep the midfielder as his departure could significantly impact Sunderland, both on and off the pitch.

The Championship club will seek at least €30m for Rigg in 2025 and there are several clubs who might be willing to match their asking price.

Man United and Real Madrid set sights on Sunderland’s Chris Rigg 

Man United have been the club that has been linked to Rigg the most in recent weeks with reports stating that the Premier League giants’ scouts have watched the 17-year-old nearly “every week this season”.

The Manchester club will face major competition in their pursuit of the midfield talent as sources have stated that several Premier League clubs are monitoring his progress, which include: Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Brighton, Man City, Newcastle, Liverpool and Wolves.

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There is also interest in the Englishman from abroad, which is the route Jude Bellingham took on his path to superstardom.

Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are all believed to have an interest in Rigg and a move to Germany could be exactly what the youngster needs in order to develop his game at the highest level.

The post Exclusive: Championship club set €30m price tag for top Man United target as Real Madrid enter race appeared first on CaughtOffside.