Bundesliga

RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner has said he would be open to a transfer abroad in the future after agreeing an extension with the Bundesliga side.

The Germany striker has been linked with a move away from Leipzig in recent months, with his previous contract poised to expire at the end of the current campaign. However, he recently agreed fresh terms until 2023 in a huge boost to Julian Nagelsmann's side.

Speaking to Sport Buzzer (h/t Peter Lynch of Goal), Werner said he's committed to Leipzig, but wouldn't rule out a switch overseas further down the line.

"I don't exclude anything [regarding a move abroad in the future]," he said. "...I am and remain a player of RB Leipzig."

Per Lynch, a number of European football's biggest clubs have been credited with an interest in Werner, including Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Liverpool, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are also said to be admirers of the striker.

News that an extension had been struck came on Saturday ahead of Leipzig's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Per BT Sport, Werner capped off a memorable day with the opening goal:

With his searing speed and composed finishing ability, Werner has developed into one of the best centre-forwards in Germany, so it's not a shock to see high-profile clubs linked to the 23-year-old.

After sorting his future for the time being, the next challenge for Werner will be taking his game on to the next level. In the same interview, the German cited Bayern's Robert Lewandowski as someone he would like to emulate:

"I want and have to improve. At the age of 22, 23 he [Lewandowski] was not as far as he is now. Robert is a fantastic player. And he always stayed hungry. 

"If he scores three goals after 85 minutes he doesn't then stop to receive the adulation. He goes on and wants to score a fourth. This type of attitude is one-of-a-kind and it's what I want to be like."

Per WhoScored.com, while Werner has been the Bayern star's biggest competitor in the Bundesliga goalscoring stakes in recent years, there's still a significant gap between the duo:

Lewandowski has enjoyed an exceptional start to the season. A hat-trick in Sunday's 3-0 win over Schalke took the 31-year-old to five goals in two games in the German top flight:

Werner is not the same kind of player as the Bayern No. 9 and scores different kinds of goals. However, if he is to be as productive as the Poland star one day, he needs to refine his decision-making and ruthlessness when chances do come his way.

With two strikes in his first two games of the season, Werner has enjoyed a solid start to the campaign. Alongside Dortmund, Leipzig are expected to be one of Bayern's major challengers for the title, and Werner will be a key part of that effort.

Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski thinks new signing Philippe Coutinho can add "something special" to the team this season.

Coutinho completed a loan move from Barcelona last week, and he'll aim to reignite his career having struggled at the Camp Nou. The Brazilian became the Blaugrana's record signing in January 2018, when he joined the club from Liverpool for a reported £142 million.

Speaking to Sport Bild (h/t Elliott Bretland of Goal), Lewandowski said he's excited by the acquisition and he expects Coutinho to decide some big games for the team: "His final ball is insane, he can be the key in important games, especially in the Champions League. He can give us that something special. It makes us more unpredictable, which makes us more dangerous."

The Poland international added: "Dortmund did a lot [in the summer window], they have a big squad. But in the end it's not about quantity, but about quality. And from that point of view, it's clear to me that we have the players of higher quality."

Barcelona confirmed that Bayern will pay around €8.5 million (£7.7 million) to take the midfielder on loan for the campaign and the German champions can make the deal permanent for a fee of €120 million (£109 million).

Although Coutinho didn't reach the levels many anticipated he would at Barcelona, his record was impressive in terms of productivity:

WhoScored.com also noted the Blaugrana's record was better when the former Liverpool and Inter Milan man was in the side:

Coutinho made his first appearance for his new club on Saturday when he came off the bench to help Bayern secure a 3-0 win away at Schalke. During his 33-minute cameo, there were some bright moments from the midfielder as he helped Bayern see out a routine win.

The star on the day was Lewandowski, though, as he netted a hat-trick. After two goals in Week 1 of the season against Hertha Berlin, he has already amassed five strikes in two top-flight matches.

The pick of the goals against Schalke was an excellent free-kick:

Coutinho had high praise for the striker after yet another show of potency in front of goal:

Cristian Nyari of FC Bayern Media said Lewandowski should be considered among the best players in the game at the moment:

Bayern lost Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and James Rodriguez at the end of the previous season, so it was imperative they added some creativity to their midfield positions. If he can rediscover his form, Coutinho can help fill that void, whether it be operating from the left flank or in support of the centre-forward as a No. 10.

His inventiveness in possession and ability to shoot from distance are likely to give Bayern another dimension. Ominously for the rest of the Bundesliga, Coutinho's creative influence also means there's every chance of Lewandowski becoming even more of a goal threat in the coming months.

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has confirmed Bayern Munich enquired this summer about signing Kai Havertz.

Voller explained Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently contacted him, but Leverkusen have no current intention of selling the prodigy.

Speaking to Sky Deutschland (h/t Goal), Voller said: "It is no secret that there were a few phone calls and great interest. I then spoke directly and completely friendly with Rummenigge. [He] totally understood that we do not [want to sell]. Bayern were not the only club that asked us about Kai Havertz."

The 20-year-old has been a regular performer in the Bundesliga over the past three seasons, and the youngster is already a full Germany international. Havertz has developed into a prolific goalscoring midfielder and netted 17 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances last term.

Voller added he expects the player to eventually move on, but is happy he's currently plying his trade at the BayArena.

"Let me put it this way: I'm always happy when I see an artist like Kai Havertz playing, preferably with us," Voller said. "If that's not the case one day, there's always Sky and DAZN. There you can follow all the top European leagues."

Havertz is a special talent and he will surely feature for one of the biggest clubs in the world in the years to come. The player has been with his team since he was 11, and he's a credit to the Leverkusen youth system.

With Havertz having already completed over a century of appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen, German icon Lothar Matthaus has said he believes Havertz is good enough to win a future Ballon d'Or, per Kicker (h/t Goal).

"He has set the bar very high. For me, he was the player of the season, and if Havertz can maintain this high level, with that lightness, cleverness, presence on the pitch and scoring goals, then he could eventually become my successor as a world footballer of the year."

Havertz recently told Suddeutsche Zeitung (h/t Daniel Lewis of Goal) he would like to stay with his club for the next campaign and continue his development but added he would eventually like to take "the next step" in his career in his quest for success and trophies.

Philippe Coutinho doesn't appear ready to make his Bayern Munich debut in Saturday's trip to Schalke after manager Niko Kovac said the loan signing from Barcelona doesn't have the necessary fitness.

Kovac spoke at a press conference on Thursday and—in what appeared to be a joint decision between manager and player—said Coutinho agreed he wasn't at the required level:

"He is not quite at the level of fitness he needs to play for 90 minutes. He has said that himself, and we don't want to take any risks. He has only been training for the last two weeks, so he needs to catch up. I know a lot of people want us to play him straight away, but everything has to be right."

Die Roten recently confirmed Coutinho's arrival on a season-long loan from the Camp Nou, with a purchase clause valued at €120 million, per Goal's Chris Burton.

The Brazilian is already settling in to his new surroundings and has trained among his new team-mates at the Allianz Arena:

Bayern's Bundesliga title defence got off to a stuttered start when they drew 2-2 at home to Hertha Berlin in Week 1.

The agreement to sign Coutinho on temporary terms was confirmed a few days later, and he'll hope to turn the tide back in their favour following an apparent shift in the title-race momentum.

Ivan Perisic is another wide option after he joined the club on loan from Inter Milan in August. Kovac suggested the Croat was more likely to get his first minutes in Bayern colours, per Goal's Ronan Murphy:

Borussia Dortmund have been backed as likely challengers for the German top-flight crown this season following a fruitful summer, and Bayern are already playing catch-up in the standings.

Brazil and Barcelona legend Rivaldo recently suggested that playing alongside five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi can be a hindrance for someone like Coutinho, per Goal:

Stepping closer to the limelight, as he was in Liverpool, could see Coutinho return to his best in Bavaria. However, a debut at home to Mainz on Saturday, August 31, may be a more realistic target than the Week 2 visit to the Veltins-Arena.    

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has backed Philippe Coutinho to shine at Bayern Munich.

The former Reds playmaker recently moved to the Bundesliga champions on loan from Barcelona, and Klopp waxed lyrical about what he can bring to the team.

He told Kicker (h/t Goal's Chris Burton):

"Coutinho didn't get to play in his preferred No. 10 role all that much when he was with us, but he's a great No. 8 and is a fantastic left winger because he's incredibly good in tight spaces and has the pace to exploit bigger spaces.

"He dominates football matches and is a real asset if he can put his stamp on the team.

"Bayern needed him, and Bayern wanted him. If they can integrate him and get the very best out of him, the Bundesliga will have a top player on its hands."

The manager also noted his goal threat from long range and likened his "precision" with which he hits the ball after cutting in from the left to that of Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero.

Coutinho is a player with a highlight reel full of impressive goals:

However, as sports writer Andy West noted, he struggled to fit in at Barcelona:

The Brazilian moved to the Camp Nou in January 2018 for €160 million (£147 million), but his performances over the past season-and-half have often been wanting.

Given their investment in him, Barca will have been hoping for more production than he offered in the final third:

Bayern can give the 27-year-old a fresh start, though.

The Bavarians lost wing duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the end of last season, as well as attacking midfielder James Rodriguez.

Prior to Coutinho's arrival, the only recruitment that addressed any of those departures was the loan of Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic.

There's scope for Coutinho to fill in for Rodriguez, and he can also be used out wide if necessary.

Bayern have the option of making his loan permanent next summer for €120 million (£110 million). If Coutinho can reignite his career at the Allianz Arena and become a match-winning player again, as he was at Liverpool, it's an option they will likely take.

Barcelona legend Rivaldo has said he is "disappointed" about Philippe Coutinho's exit from the Camp Nou and suggested his fellow Brazilian "didn't have enough patience to find his spot in the team."

Coutinho joined Bayern Munich on a season-long loan deal on August 19 after failing to establish himself as a guaranteed starter in the Barca side.

He only signed for Barca from Liverpool in a £142 million deal in January 2018, but Antoine Griezmann's summer arrival at the Camp Nou was set to push the 27-year-old to the fringes of the squad.

Coutinho was only handed 22 starts in La Liga last term and failed to live up to his huge price tag.

Rivaldo believes the presence of Lionel Messi in the Barca squad played a part in Coutinho failing to flourish, per Betfair (h/t MailOnline's Tom Caldon):

"I always believed that Philippe Coutinho had the ability to be a success at Barcelona, but things were taking too much time and both parties agreed on a transfer to Bayern Munich. I'm a little disappointed about his failure in gaining a regular place in the first team, but perhaps he was no longer confident about it and unhappy, so he opted for a move to another big club trying to finally recover his best football from his time at Liverpool.

"It's never easy to find your space in a team where Lionel Messi constantly takes all the credit and responsibility. There are few players in the world capable of reaching such situation and imposing themselves, and maybe Coutinho didn't have enough patience to find his spot in the team. The Argentinian star is the team leader and will keep playing at his best level for about three or four more years, so it is difficult to see other players shining at their best at Barcelona."

Bayern's deal with Barca over Coutinho includes an option to buy the playmaker at the end of the season.

There is no obligation on Bayern's part, though, so Coutinho could potentially return to Barca in a year.

However, he said on his arrival at the German champions he wants to stay at the club for a "long time and win many titles," per Sergi Diaz of Sport. 

Bayern have made two major defensive signings this summer, bringing in Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez for nearly £100 million.

Both their major attacking additions—Coutinho and Ivan Perisic—have been signed on loan deals.

The pair will be crucial for Bayern in the new campaign as they begin life without Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, who both left the club at the end of last term.  

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has said he is unsure why midfielder Renato Sanches made public complaints about his lack of minutes so far this season.

After coming on as a late substitute against Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga opener on Friday, Sanches told Sport1 (h/t MailOnline's Adam Shergold) that "five minutes is not enough" and his situation at the Allianz Arena is "not good."

Salihamidzic has hit back at the Portugal international and outlined the opportunities he's had so far this term, per Ryan Benson of Goal:

"Renato has played three times since the start of the season. Against Borussia Dortmund he was subbed on, in the DFB-Pokal he started and this weekend, although it was only for five minutes, he was also subbed on.

"Therefore, I didn't really understand why he had to make these remarks. We will see [if he stays], I already explained on Monday that we'll keep all our options open until September 2 [when the transfer window closes]. Other than that, I don't want to say much more about it."

Bayern recently unveiled new midfield signing Mickael Cuisance. The acquisition of the Frenchman will only add more competition to what is a stacked section of the Munich squad:

The comments from Salihamidzic are of a similar theme to those of chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who said the 22-year-old needs to "calm down."

Few would have anticipated Sanches' career being at such a precarious point after the summer of 2016. The midfielder was regarded as one of the best prospects in world football, having agreed to move to Bayern and shone for Portugal on their way to UEFA European Championship glory.

Sanches moved to Swansea City on loan for the 2017-18 season and struggled with life in the Premier League. Last term, he made 17 appearances in the German top flight, although only four of them were starts.

In pre-season there were some signs of Sanches rediscovering form, as he netted against Fenerbahce: 

He also grabbed a brace, although as Portuguese football journalist Tom Kundert noted, the opposition left much to be desired:

Given he's not impressed consistently when given chances and now he's made his dissatisfaction with his situation known, there doesn't appear to be a clear path towards Sanches becoming a first-team regular at Bayern.

Salihamidzic appeared coy on whether Sanches will remain at the club, although at this juncture it feels like a parting of the ways would suit all parties, even though Sanches has until 2022 to run on his Bayern contract.

If he is to rediscover the spark and dynamism that made him such a force as a teenager, you sense a new chapter needs to begin imminently.

Former Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben believes the club have secured a "world-class" footballer in Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho's loan move from Barcelona to Bayern was confirmed on Monday, with the Brazil international leaving the Camp Nou after a torrid season-and-a-half. The Bundesliga side have the option to make the transfer permanent for a fee of €120 million should they wish.

Coutinho has taken the shirt number that Robben made famous at the Allianz Arena in recent years, and the Dutchman said the jersey's new incumbent is a fine acquisition for the German champions, per Chris Burton of Goal:

"I got a very nice call from Brazzo [Hasan Salihamidzic], he told me Coutinho wanted the 10. I replied that I only want the best for the club and if the 10 is good for him, that's great and they have to do it.

"Coutinho is a world-class player, he will certainly help the club. A super transfer. He will need some time, but with his skills he will go for it."

The arrival of Coutinho adds more depth to the midfield positions at Bayern. Manager Niko Kovac has a number of high-quality operators to choose from in this facet of the field:

Bayern supporters will be hoping they get the Coutinho who lit up English football in his time at Liverpool, not the one who failed to shine in La Liga.

When he was at Anfield, the playmaker was a joy to watch. Whether tucked in on the left side or playing in a more central area, Coutinho was always dangerous, as he could saunter past challenges, open up spaces for team-mates and shoot from distance, too.

At Barcelona, he struggled to stamp his authority on games, although since his arrival at the club, the team fared better when he's featured:

BT Sport Football looked back at some of his best moments in European competition in the past:

The midfielder will hope a move to a club like Bayern will be a catalyst to his getting back to those levels.

The German club won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal last season, but they struggled in the UEFA Champions League, eliminated by eventual winners Liverpool in the quarter-finals. Per Goal's Ronan Murphy, Coutinho has said winning the European Cup with Bayern is an ambition:

That's something Robben did in his time at the club, scoring a dramatic winner in the 2012-13 final against Borussia Dortmund. The winger is a Munich legend for that goal alone, but he also won eight domestic titles during his time in the German capital.

Like Coutinho, Robben moved to Bayern after his big-money transfer to a La Liga side—the Dutchman joined Real Madrid in 2007—didn't quite work out as planned. If the Brazilian wants to reignite his career, the man who formerly wore the Bayern No. 10 jersey is a fine example to follow.

RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann has said he wants to keep Timo Werner at the club despite reports he intends to see out the last year of his contract before a possible free transfer to Bayern Munich in 2020.

Nagelsmann has taken over as Leipzig coach after three-and-a-half years at the helm of Hoffenheim, and it would be considered a coup if he could convince Werner to stay at the Red Bull Arena.

Werner scored on Sunday as Leipzig opened their Bundesliga campaign with a 4-0 win at Union Berlin.

Nagelsmann spoke at a press conference after the result and said: "Of course we want to keep him, he is an important, good player and in my head he is my player. He will know for himself what is most important for his career."

Werner was said to have indicated in April that he didn't want to sign another contract at Leipzig, and Bild (h/t Goal's Ronan Murphy) recently reported the forward planned to honour that intent:

Leipzig sporting director Markus Krosche also addressed reporters and said Leipzig "did everything" in their attempts to convince the player to stay, per Goal:

"There's nothing to say about this. He's with us - we've been saying the same thing for weeks because that is the case. There's definitely going to be a decision in the coming days, Timo Werner and his advisor want that too.

"That's Timo's decision, we did everything as a club and we gave him all the appreciation we can give as a club.

"He's a player in this squad, and we've seen today [vs Union Berlin] how much he can help us achieve our goals."

Werner, 23, scored 19 goals in 37 appearances for Leipzig last term, his worst return for the club since joining from Stuttgart in 2016. He netted 21 goals in each of the two previous campaigns and would be a difficult figure to replace, particularly if they don't receive a fee for his departure.

German football podcaster James Thorogood recently predicted Werner will win the Bundesliga's top-scorer award in 2019-20:

The stars appear like they could align for Bayern, too, considering star striker Robert Lewandowski will turn 32 in August 2020, at which point he'll have less than one year remaining on his contract.

That would give Werner at least one season to play alongside Lewandowski before possibly taking over his mantle, though there's no indication Die Roten see him as worthy of that position.

Murphy cited previous reports indicating how much Bayern were willing to pay for the striker this summer:

Werner has often taken up positions on the wing for club and country, with some arguing the attacker's pace is better utilised on the flanks.

He will be free to sign a pre-contract with non-German clubs as of January, though Nagelsmann's comments appear to suggest he retains hope the forward will extend his stay at Leipzig.

Philippe Coutinho is ready to accept the "big responsibility" of playing for Bayern Munich, even though "things didn't work out" for him at Barcelona.

Coutinho sealed a deal to join Bayern Munich on a season-long loan with an option to buy on Monday, per Barca's official website. The Brazilian didn't have the easiest time at the Camp Nou but admitted his career with the Blaugrana was an education.

He went into greater detail when he was officially presented as a new Bayern player, per BBC Sport: "In Barcelona, a lot of things did not turn out as we had imagined. But this is now history. I hope to stay here a long time and win many titles."

A reflection of Bayern's faith in Coutinho's ability to return to his best form comes from the Bundesliga giants' decision to hand him the No. 10 shirt. It previously belonged to Arjen Robben, the prolific winger who left the Allianz Arena this summer after a trophy-laden 10-year spell.

Coutinho is aware of the onus that taking Robben's number puts on him to make a fast start to his tenure in Munich: "The jersey of FC Bayern and the No. 10 is a big responsibility. It belonged to Robben, he was a great reference in football. I hope to be able to live up to expectations with good football on the pitch."

Meeting the same standards Robben set will require Coutinho regaining the swagger he lost during a difficult stint with Barca. The Brazil international joined the club from Liverpool in 2018 with a reputation as one of the most dynamic playmakers in Europe:

His form deteriorated while he struggled to establish himself in a Barcelona squad geared to the talents of Lionel Messi and experiencing something of a stylistic shift on Ernesto Valverde's watch.

Coutinho may have arrived at Barca just a few years too late. His flair and vision are better suited to the technical, possession-based game the Blaugrana played under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

Things have been a little cagier and involve more direct passing with Valverde at the helm. It meant Coutinho often appeared out of sorts in an otherwise-muscular midfield featuring Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic.

Even so, Coutinho was keen to point out how his experiences with Barca weren't all bad, per Perform (h/t AS): "Within those years I did have great experiences. I learnt a lot, won a lot with that club and then we had the Copa America, which I won with Brazil, and that was really important."

Joining Bayern is an ideal fit for Coutinho, who will continue to ply his trade for a European heavyweight with genuine aspirations of winning the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old is also the right player to provide the creativity and magic from central areas that Die Roten have lost now James Rodriguez has returned to Real Madrid following a two-year loan spell in the German top flight.

Playing with Corentin Tolisso and Leon Goretzka will give Coutinho the freedom to roam into and exploit the pockets of space between the midfield and forward lines. Meanwhile, Thiago Alcantara is a technical maestro on a similar wavelength to Coutinho, and the pair can keep the supply lines open to Robben and Franck Ribery's successors on the flanks: Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry.