The Bayern Insider: Jonathan Tah opportunity ahead of crunch Eberl transfer meeting

Welcome to today’s exclusive & comprehensive round-up of all things Bayern Munich from Bayern insider Christian Falk. Featuring updates on Jonathan Tah, Max Eberl, Viktor Gyökeres and more.

Today’s top stories

• Max Eberl due to attend major Bayern Munich meeting…
• How signing Florian Wirtz will change everything at Bayern…
• Could David Alaba return to Munich this summer?
• Is Leroy Sané likely to leave the club at the end of the season?

Bayern Munich Bundesliga celebrations

You see that Bayern Munich’s players are used to winning the title nearly every year. So, there was a party that took place after Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw with SC Freiburg, as we’ve mentioned previously. But, it will have no doubt come to the attention of onlookers that not every Bayern player was in attendance! Manuel Neuer, for example, who is the team captain, was actually at home and busy cooking risotto!

So, it was nice to see that everyone inside the club feels very happy about Harry Kane winning the title – the Englishman’s first major piece of silverware in his senior playing career. Everybody is very proud of the headlines that have popped up in England, including those describing Kane as a ‘meister’ (the German word for ‘champion’).

That’s perhaps why it was more of a Harry Kane title than a Bayern Munich one. This is because in Munich, the disappointment of not making it to the Champions League final – held, painfully, at the 70,000-plus capacity Allianz Arena – is palpable. You’ve seen that even when the title was guaranteed to return to Munich, the streets in the city were empty. We have a big celebration planned in Munich on the Sunday following the final Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim (May 17).

The appeal of Harry Kane in Munich

Everybody feels the emotions Kane has experienced, and everybody couldn’t be happier that Bayern Munich gave him his first title. It’s in rather stark comparison to a long-serving Bayern player in Thomas Müller, who won his 34th trophy with the club this season! Harry Kane, already with quite a long career in the sport, previously had none to his name. He could never win with any other team, so now he’s carved out a special place in Bayern’s history. He’s a leader, and everyone always liked Harry anyway. But now he’s in the heart of the Bayern Munich fans because of how he celebrated the club’s 34th German top-flight title.

A day after the celebrations, Harry Kane made a very special statement: “I appreciate all the support, as always, it never goes unnoticed, and I can’t wait to enjoy these next couple of weeks. I can’t wait to be at the Allianz Arena on Saturday and celebrate in front of the fans.

“And then, as always, we look forward to the next one, and we go again and try and get number two.”

This is a Bayern Munich thing. It’s echoing the winning spirit right at the core of the club’s DNA. Kane has it. Especially now, after winning a title with Bayern. He knows it’s nice to win silverware, but one trophy is not enough.

What next for Thomas Müller?

The Bundesliga title brings Müller level with Toni Kroos (who also won 34 trophies in his playing career) as the joint-most successful player in German history. So, you see how big a figure he is. Yet, he was never close to winning the Ballon d’Or, nor has he ever won player of the year in Germany. Thomas’s story, still, is a special one.

There’s going to be a big celebration after the match against Gladbach. Bayern Munich is also planning a secret party in town for Müller, where there will be 200 guests. So, you see, everyone is more than aware of just how special he is, even without winning an individual accolade.

Bayern’s proposed trip to Ibiza

This was the idea of a group of players to celebrate Bayern’s title win. However, the story found its way to the media. There was a call with Jan-Christian Dreesen, Herbert Hainer, Eberl and Hoeneß where a decision was made to cancel the Ibiza trip. However, the fact is that the team already knew on Friday that Max Eberl would not approve the trip.  He talked to the players and made it clear that it would be inappropriate to jet off in the middle of a campaign when clubs are still fighting for places in the Bundesliga. It’s the wrong signal to send – it’s just not a good representation of Bayern and the club’s image. The players accepted this.

Max Eberl’s meeting

Next week is a very important week for Bayern Munich, as on Monday, there is a meeting with the supervisory board. Max Eberl will have to tell them his transfer plans for the summer.

There’s already been a big discussion about the Bayern chief’s future; Eberl is not the safest sporting director in the league! But the supervisory board are trusting him to carry out his duties in the upcoming transfer window. Now, he has to show what he can do. Chiefly, whether he can sign Florian Wirtz and keep salaries down for players in the middle and lower ranges of the squad payroll. After this, they’ll determine whether or not he remains the right man for the position.

Bayern lead Florian Wirtz pursuit

I heard that Real Madrid have yet to table an official offer for Florian Wirtz. There have been plenty of rumours around the player. It’s also difficult for Xabi Alonso to potentially come in with such a young player. It would be easier to integrate the attacking midfielder further down the line when the head coach has established himself in Madrid. Manchester City, as I’ve mentioned before, have been in contact through Pep Guardiola. The Catalan had a phone call with Wirtz, who was left very impressed by the interaction.

However, Bayern Munich have completed a lot of groundwork on this deal, including making headway with the player’s father, Hans-Joachim Wirtz. He’s a very young player who didn’t even have to move from his hometown when switching from the youth team at Cologne to Leverkusen. It’s a big step to a big club in Bayern, but the additional pressure of a move to a foreign country would be really, really huge for him. Florian Wirtz has since given an interview, signposting that he’s ready to leave his comfort zone. So, you see, there’s already an idea in his mind.

We reported with BILD that after Hoeneß met with the 22-year-old twice, Max Eberl has since met his father (and agent). I heard that within Bayern, the club is very confident they will sign him for sure. Now, of course, they have to engage in negotiations with Leverkusen, which could be a little difficult. They won’t have the €150m [£127.1m] Leverkusen want, but I think in the end, perhaps the price will be €120m [£101.7m].

As we reported, Bayern Munich are already planning to change the system. This feeds into questions about Leroy Sané’s future, as if you have two No.10s (Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz), you don’t necessarily need two wingers. You will have three players, as is the case with the national team. At Bayern, this would be Wirtz, Musiala and someone else! Perhaps Kingsley Coman, if he isn’t sold. Perhaps Sané, if he doesn’t leave, or Serge Gnabry, if he isn’t sold. And at the end, Michael Olise will play.

In this system, Gnabry could also be a rotational option for Harry Kane if the Englishman gets injured or needs a break. The positions will be interchangeable in this new setup. This is quite a big deal for FC Bayern, as the system currently in place has been part and parcel with the club since Louis van Gaal took over in 2009. But these are the plans in place, and you can see the significant ramifications of a transfer for Wirtz. It would change nearly everything!

Again, you can see how this will work out in the long term with the national team. The idea, in the long run, is to play Aleksandar Pavlović and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller behind this row of Musiala, Wirtz and, for now, Sané. Bayern already have Pavlović, and the other part of Stiller can be filled by players like Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich. With that in mind, the rumours of Felipe Loyola (Independiente) wouldn’t make a great deal of sense because of this system and the players available. There has been no contact with the player so far. Bayern did send scouts to watch the Chilean, but this is normal in football. There has been no movement from FC Bayern with this player.

Clubs eyeing up Angelo Stiller

I know that clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal have eyes on Angelo Stiller. The Bundesliga midfielder has a release clause (€36.5m [£30.9m]) that clubs can activate in 2026. In Bayern Munich, there are many players occupying this position at the moment. Of course, the frustration for Bayern is that the player originally hails from Munich and left the club on a free (joining Hoffenheim in 2021). This is a bitter pill for Bayern to swallow, in light of his development and the fact that they would now have to spend money to bring the German national star back. I think Barcelona can’t afford to buy him, so the future of Angelo Stiller could very well be in the Premier League. Only time will tell!

Frans Krätzig and Bayern’s young guns

Frans Krätzig is a young talent to keep an eye on. Bayern first sent him out on loan at Stuttgart this term before finishing the rest of the campaign with Heidenheim. We heard that a deal taking him on loan to RB Salzburg is very close, it’s nearly a done deal. I hope he does well in Austria and can become a player for FC Bayern in future. At the very least, Bayern believe Krätzig is a Bundesliga-quality player. If they got a good offer for him, they would consider selling. Of course, if he could make it at Bayern, this would be highly beneficial in light of his positional versatility.

In the meantime, Bayern are planning with Adam Aznou, a big talent they brought in from Barcelona. He’s a friend of Lamine Yamal’s (the pair played together in La Masia). He could be the future of Bayern Munich in the left-back position alongside Alphonso Davies.

I saw Lennart Karl when he was on the bench against Leipzig. He wasn’t sitting, he was up on his feet in the final few minutes. So, you see how he already has Bayern Munich in his mind. He’s performing very well in the youth ranks and scoring plenty of goals (32 goals and 10 assists in 26 games this season). It’s interesting that his current agent is former FC Bayern player Michael Ballack. In Germany, Karl has already been dubbed “Mini-Schweini” (after Bastian Schweinsteiger). I think he’s a different kind of player.  I think he’s more like Martin Ødegaard with a touch of Arjen Robben (as he can cut in from the wing to score). He’s a big promise for the future, but he’ll need a bit more weight and bulk to make the cut in professional senior football. If he can work on that, I think we’ll see a really good player.

Could David Alaba return to Munich?

Bayern are not looking to bring David Alaba back to the club. At 32 years of age, he doesn’t fit what the club’s looking for, and there are his repeated injury struggles to consider. They have a history together, but for the moment, he’s not a topic at the club. Either way, I don’t think Alaba even wants to leave Real Madrid, as I heard he has a contract until 2026. He’s been unlucky with injuries, and he wants to show the club that he’s still important there. No connection to Bayern Munich – the rumour is not true!

Jonathan Tah and Bayern-linked defenders

Dean Huijsen remains on the shortlist at Bayern Munich. But we know that the club needs a lot of money to sign Florian Wirtz. So, he’s not the top target in the club. They’re discussing a move for Jonathan Tah and have made contact through the Leverkusen defender’s agent, Pini Zahavi. Zahavi now has to clarify whether or not there is an opportunity for Barcelona to register him. If not, he will be on the market again.

Many clubs are following Jonathan Tah, including Premier League sides. Still, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that Bayern Munich had an agreement in the pipeline last summer, and now he’s set to become a free agent. It would be easier to bring him in now, and Bayern have made it clear that they need a new centre-back with Eric Dier set to join Monaco this summer. So Bayern Munich will look to try and get him.

Manchester United, who have been linked with Tah, is always going to be a serious competitor. I think Jonathan Tah would like to have an experience in the Premier League. There aren’t so many clubs searching in this position, so, of course, United is an opportunity.

Viktor Gyökeres is an unlikely target

It’s looking like it will cost a lot of money to sign Gyökeres, and that’s thanks in no small part to the interest of Premier League clubs. Also, Bayern can’t give him the keys to the centre-forward position because of Harry Kane. So, he’s not a main target. FC Bayern have an eye on him, as they have historically, but they’re now checking alternative opportunities like Patrik Schick. The Bayer Leverkusen striker would be a much cheaper option at €20m-25m [£16.9m-21.1m]. He’s a different kind of striker. If Bayern are looking at other options, then it’s clear they’re keen on cheaper solutions. That’s also because they don’t think Tottenham will pay the full amount for Mathys Tel. I think Bayern Munich would be open to selling Tel if Spurs make an offer below the €60m [£50.8m] buy clause inserted in his contract. So, it’s not hot any more with Gyökeres.

Kingsley Coman’s entourage is keeping an eye out

I heard that Kingsley Coman’s agents are checking the markets. There’s still an opportunity to go to Saudi Arabia. But, of course, Kingsley would be open to still playing at an elite European level. There were rumours of interest from Newcastle and Tottenham; this range would be possible for a move. However, Coman’s entourage still wants to check if there is interest from big six clubs like Liverpool, who are searching for such positions. Perhaps also Manchester United, who previously held an interest in the player. At the moment, there’s nothing concrete. They’re just knocking on the doors of clubs and seeing if they need a player like him.

Leroy Sané could return to the Premier League

We heard that Leroy Sané’s girlfriend, Candice Brook, helped change his mind. She wants to go back to London. So, Pini Zahavi now has to knock on a few doors and scout out opportunities. On that note, the Israeli wants to talk with Premier League clubs now about a prospective move. We already heard that a move to Chelsea would be difficult, as they’re committed to a philosophy of signing young players. There were talks before with Arsenal, but whether Mikel Arteta will be looking to bring this player to the club (having worked with him previously at Manchester City), I’m not sure. Newcastle United are also on this list. It’s a complicated situation. But, as we’ve seen before with players represented by Zahavi, a big move is always possible. You only have to look back at David Alaba (Real Madrid) and Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona).

I heard that Leroy Sané is no longer happy with the deal his old agent agreed. At the beginning, Bayern offered a salary of €8m [£6.7m] a year. Bayern could, perhaps, pay €10m [£8.4m] – but both offers aren’t enough. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Sané previously changed his management from DB Venture (David Beckham’s agency) to Fali Ramadani just before moving to Bayern Munich in 2020. So, I think everyone knows what could happen now!

Bayern’s Ryan Gravenberch regrets

Of course, there is internal regret over Ryan Gravenberch’s exit from FC Bayern. The club knew what he was capable of, but he needed playing time (which he’s been given at Liverpool) that he was never going to get at Bayern Munich. Thomas Tuchel saw Gravenberch playing further up the pitch, perhaps as a No.10 or an offensive No.8. But this season has proven that the Dutchman is more than capable of playing a more defensively-minded midfield role. If Tuchel had seen this, Bayern wouldn’t have spent €51m [£43.2m] on João Palhina. That still hurts a lot. Credit to Marco Neppe and Hasan Salihamidžić, who brought him in, but you still need a coach who trusts and counts on the player. Ultimately, if a player can perform like this at Liverpool, then it’s clear – a mistake was made.

I think Ryan Gravenberch would work out in any system. He can play the No.6, No.8 or No.10 – all positions that Vincent Kompany likes. Now, you see that Palhinha is a completely different player and just doesn’t get game time. I think this answers everything!

→ READ MORE: The Bayern Insider: Why Bayern can still beat Man City & Real Madrid to Florian Wirtz