Bundesliga

RB Leipzig will find it difficult to fend off interest from Bayern Munich in Timo Werner. Yet sporting director and manager Ralf Rangnick still believes his star forward will stay put for the next few seasons.

Speaking to Sky Germany (h/t Charlie Malam of the Daily Express), Rangnick discussed Werner's future amid rumours linking him with a move to the Allianz Arena: "If Bayern are serious, then it will be difficult for us. But they often play with one striker, so I see him staying with us for the next two or three years."

Rangnick's confidence that Werner won't fit in Munich should delight Leipzig fans. The 22-year-old is the creative fulcrum and attacking talisman of Rangnick's team.

Werner, who has also been linked with Premier League leaders Liverpool, has already netted 13 goals and supplied two assists in all competitions this season.

Those performances have encouraged admiring glances from Die Roten. Such encouragement comes from Werner's previously hinting the Bundesliga powerhouse could be his next destination. In December, he told Sky Sports Germany (h/t Goal): "If you play in Germany and want to stay in Germany, there is only one club in question."

Even his team-mates, including fellow forward Yussuf Poulsen, say it's understandable if Werner is considering his future:

Werner's contract is up in 2020, prompting Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff to recently tell Kicker (h/t The Independent) the club ideally needs to know the player's decision by the end of this campaign.

It's a tricky decision for Werner, who would likely go from the focal point in Leipzig to just another piece of the puzzle for Bayern.

Rangnick's point about Die Roten's preference for operating with a lone centre-forward is well taken. Bayern still have the prolific Robert Lewandowski to lead the line.

He's 30, but the Poland international knows few equals on the continent when it comes to movement, finishing and aerial power. He's showing no signs of slowing, with 23 goals in all competitions during what's proving to be an exceptional season.

Lewandowski is well-supported by Thomas Mueller, who plays in much the same way to Werner. The 29-year-old Germany international can play on either flank of just off the front.

Those positions suit Werner best and, despite his technical accomplishment, there have to be doubts about his ability to finish consistently and define an attack by himself. In particular, questions will persist about his ability to deliver in big games:

Bayern may be better off widening their search for an obvious replacement for Lewandowski. Meanwhile, Werner's development would be best served by continuing in a team geared to his talents.

UEFA has banned Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller for two matches after he was sent off against Ajax in the final match of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Bayern announced UEFA's decision on Twitter and confirmed they would appeal the suspension:

If the ban is upheld, the forward will miss both legs of Bayern's last-16 tie with Liverpool.

Muller received his marching orders in the 3-3 draw after a high kick on Nicolas Tagliafico that left the Argentinian requiring staples and stitches to the back of his head:

The forward took to Twitter to apologise to the left-back after the match:

Football.London's Greg Johnson likened the sending off to the red card received by Nani while playing for Manchester United against Real Madrid in 2013, which was for a high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

However, the Portugal winger was only given a one-match ban by UEFA.

Muller, who has contributed five goals and six assists for Bayern in 25 matches this season, is not having the best campaign of his career.

However, he can be one of the Bavarian outfit's biggest difference-makers, thanks to his almost unrivalled ability to find space and exploit it.

If he misses both legs against Liverpool, it will be a significant blow to Bayern's chances of progressing.

Robert Lewandowski only had eyes for Real Madrid if he had left Bayern Munich last summer, according to the striker's former agent Cezary Kucharski.

The Poland international was long linked with a transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu leading up to last summer, but a move never materialised. Kucharksi told Pilka Nozna (h/t AS) Lewandowski didn't want to leave Bayern for the Premier League or Ligue 1, with Madrid his destination of choice:

“We could have fought for the transfer but there was a risk involved. Our actions could have been insufficient to take him to Madrid or to sign a much more advantageous contract with Bayern. In football business, I never wanted to risk my client.

“He had a lot of options of clubs. The thing is that a move to France [PSG] did not suit his wife and they did not want to move to England. The only thing that counted for Robert was the Spanish sun, and Real Madrid.”

His old representative had already divided from Lewandowski by the time last summer's transfer window opened, with Pini Zahavi—a major player among agents—replacing him not long after their split.

Lewandowski has since become more vocal in his desire to forge a future at the Allianz Arena and even suggested he could hang up his boots in Bavaria, per Goal's Ronan Murphy:

Kucharski added that he felt Zahavi's involvement barricaded Lewandowski from getting a move to Real: "The minute Lewandowski's connection with [new agent] Zahavi was announced, it was clear to me that there was no possibility of signing for Real Madrid."

Los Blancos could certainly do with a man of Lewandowski's talents after they sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer, and with him went a substantial component of their attack. Real have scored 26 goals in La Liga so far this season—six other teams have either matched or beaten that number. 

Although the Pole has hinted he's happy to remain with Bayern, the prolific hitman also made clear his desire to see big names arrive at the Allianz to boost their silverware prospects, per journalist Manuel Veth:

Behind Karim Benzema, 25-year-old Mariano Diaz is the only other natural striker option at Real's disposal, but Lewandowski could also be more difficult to lure following their fall from grace this season.

Julen Lopetegui and the incumbent Santiago Solari have both struggled since succeeding Zinedine Zidane as managers. Lewandowski continues to produce elite figures—22 goals in 24 games this season—and remains one of the world's hottest assets:

There's little doubt Lewandowski could succeed in the short term if he were to marry up with Real, but as he prepares to turn 31 in August, Los Blancos could decide he doesn't hold enough value in the long run.

That said, it doesn't sound as though it would take much to convince Lewandowski to make the move to Madrid.

Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho has said he is happy in the Bundesliga amid speculation regarding his future.

Following a sensational rise at the German giants and a brilliant beginning to the 2018-19 campaign, Sancho has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in European football. Earlier in the season, the 18-year-old earned a call up to the England senior team on the back of his form.

Rumours have swirled at times as a result, although when asked about whether he intended to stay at Dortmund for the foreseeable future, Sancho was clear, per Stephen Crawford of Goal:

"I will. I just want to play football and I'm getting that opportunity here. I'm happy right now.

“[The language barrier] worried me quite a lot, but when I came and everyone started speaking English I got more comfortable. My German isn't the best but I'm learning, I have to learn.

“I've adapted really well. Obviously when I first came it was a bit difficult because I'm not around the corner from my house. But my family have helped me with that—and the club also."

It was reported by Sky Sports in October that Paris Saint-Germain are "very interested" in signing the teenager, with Manchester United and Arsenal "also thought to be keen."

According to Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News, former club Manchester City have first refusal on the player should they match any potential bid.

Nevertheless, it doesn't appear as if the Dortmund winger has any ideas of leaving his current club. Given the way in which his game has developed this season under the guidance of manager Lucien Favre, that's understandable.

Scouted Football provided the numbers behind what was a 2018 to remember for the former City star:

Duncan Alexander of Opta put the productivity showcased by Sancho during his time at Dortmund into context:

Not only has Sancho showcased his quality in the Bundesliga this season, his goals and assists have been vital to Dortmund putting together a surprise title challenge. As things stand, they lead Bayern Munich by six points at the summit of the German top flight.

In Dortmund's final game before the winter break, they beat Borussia Monchengladbach, who were then second in the table, 2-1. Sancho scored and starred in that critical win.

Alex Chaffer is impressed by how well Sancho is doing considering he's still in the nascent stages of his football career:

Provided he continues to turn in performances and offer Dortmund productivity in the final third, rumours will constantly crop up.

Still, Sancho left City in order to play consistent football at a high level and make strides in his career. He's doing exactly that, and provided he continues on this upward trajectory, there's no need for the England star to think about going anywhere.  

Bayern Munich have confirmed the signing of Stuttgart and France defender Benjamin Pavard on a five-year deal.

The Bavarian outfit announced the news via Twitter on Wednesday:

The 22-year-old joined Stuttgart from Lille in 2016, helping them achieve promotion to the Bundesliga in his first season.

Last season, he helped Stuttgart record the best defensive record in the Bundesliga after champions Bayern.

His efforts earned him a place in Didier Deschamps' France side at the FIFA World Cup. Usually a centre-back, he was made their first-choice right-back for the tournament and played six of their seven matches as they went on to lift the trophy.

He also scored the goal of the tournament:

Football statistician Dave O'Brien shared his numbers from Russia:

He hasn't enjoyed such good form this season, though. In part thanks to his struggles, Stuttgart are battling relegation and sit 16th in the Bundesliga, having shipped 29 goals in his 14 appearances and 35 overall.

Despite his recent dip in form, Pavard is a good young talent who can freshen up Bayern's back line. Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng are both 30 now, and the latter in particular has suffered a decline of late.

As for Stuttgart, they have received a €35 million (£31.4 million) fee for him, according to DW Sports.

The deal will not only allow him to help Stuttgart for the remainder of the campaign, but they might also be able to use the money to aid their survival bid. Stuttgart have scored just 12 goals in 17 Bundesliga matches this season, so attacking reinforcements are sorely needed.

Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng has ruled out a January exit, committing his immediate future to the club despite links to Manchester United.

The 30-year-old Germany international spoke to reporters during the team's training camp in Doha, Qatar, and said he won't jump ship after a difficult first half of the season, per Goal's Sean Wilson: "A change this winter is out of the question for me. It was a difficult year for me. I fell short of my expectations and I'm not happy with that."

After the summer transfer window closed he told Bild (h/t Goal) he turned down a move to Old Trafford, and the German newspaper (h/t Sport Witness) reported United have continued looking at him during the season.

Boateng was one of many experienced leaders who struggled for a good portion of the first half of the season, and the defence was arguably the biggest culprit. Per Wilson they kept just two clean sheets in their first 13 league matches, and the German played in nine of those.

He has made 11 Bundesliga starts and five in the UEFA Champions League this season and was a regular once again during the Bavarians' strong run in December that saw them rise to second place, six points behind Borussia Dortmund. Bayern won their last five Bundesliga outings before the winter break.

According to Wilson there are questions about Boateng's future due to the possible arrival of Lucas Hernandez. Mats Hummels and Niklas Sule already give him plenty of competition for a starting spot, and a big-money move for the Atletico Madrid starlet would complicate matters even more.

The athletic Boateng remains a reliable defender when he's healthy and on form, evidenced by his strong run in December. Here's a look at the veteran centre-back's career so far:

A club like United could use the services of an experienced defender like Boateng, but he's been a fixture at the Allianz Arena for years and has given no indication he's interested in a foreign adventure.

He already spent time in Manchester—one season at Manchester City—and made a swift return to his native Germany, becoming a star for the Bavarians. That ill-fated stint should be on his mind when he decides on another move abroad.

Bayern have turned their season around, and Boateng's improved form has been a big part of that. With things looking up for both club and player, a January exit never seemed likely.

The agent of Stuttgart full-back Benjamin Pavard has said his client is hopeful of "different offers" amid links to Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Pavard has also been linked to Italian side Napoli, and his representative, Joseph Mohan, spoke to CalcioNapoli24 (h/t Football Italia) to deny speculation that talks with the Partenopei are ongoing.

Mohan also didn't rule out his client staying put for the foreseeable future, saying: "We haven't talked to anyone from Napoli yet. Will he move in June? He could also stay at Stuttgart, although we hope different offers arrive in the coming months."

The 22-year-old has been strongly linked to Bayern and had to deny persistent rumours he had already agreed to a deal with the Bavarians last summer, per L'Equipe (via Mirror's Liam Prenderville).

According to those reports, Pavard had a personal agreement with Bayern to join in the summer of 2019.

The France international rose to fame during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, starring as one of the tournament's top breakout performers.

His best moment came against Argentina, when he scored a crucial goal that was later voted as the best of the World Cup:

A product of Lille's vaunted academy, he moved to Germany in 2016 and has been a regular for Stuttgart since. While the switch to the German second division was initially seen as an odd one, Pavard's progression has been swift at Stuttgart, and he's now in a position to seal a transfer to a top club.

Les Bleus used him as a right-back in Russia, but he has the size and strength to play as a centre-back as well, having spent the bulk of his minutes there in the Bundesliga.

Stuttgart are battling relegation and would of course prefer not to lose their star defender, but they may not have a choice. The club has admitted his contract contains a release clause of €35 million that is active in 2019, per Sport Bild (h/t ESPN FC's Mark Lovell).

Here's why clubs won't hesitate to spend that amount on the World Cup winner:

The relatively small clause makes him a prime target, and Stuttgart may find it difficult to convince him to stay.

Per Calciomercato (h/t Football Italia), Bayern remain the favourites for his services, although the rumours involving Barcelona have increased of late.

Bayern Munich have heavily fined Franck Ribery "for his choice of words used on social platforms" after responding in a foul-mouthed manner to those who criticised him for ordering a gold-covered steak.

Ribery recently posted a video of his visit to Nusr-Et in Dubai, a restaurant owned by Nusret Gokce, the chef otherwise known as Salt Bae who has become famous on social media. The former France international was criticised by some for eating a gilded steak reportedly worth up to €1,200 (£1,070):

ESPN provided a translation of the NSFW response (in French) posted on Instagram, where he defended his actions in a scathing fashion:

"For 2019, let's dot the i's and cross the t's... Let's start with the jealous, the haters, those only born because a condom had a hole in: f--k your mothers, your grandmothers and even your family tree. I owe you nothing.

"My success is, above all, thanks to God, me, and my loved ones who believed in me. For the others, you're nothing but pebbles in my socks!"

Bayern responded via the club's official website and said their player had been invited to try the steak, but the club imposed a fine for his explicit response. Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic explained the decision: "[Ribery] stood up for his family and fought back but in a manner not approved of by FC Bayern."

AFP provided more detail on the events that led to Ribery's fine:

The 35-year-old is well-known as a fiery character on the pitch, and the direct nature of his reply shows that maintains his temperament on social media too.

Still, Bayern are aware of the responsibility Ribery—with 3.9 million Instagram followers and more than 219,000 Twitter followers—has as a role model to those following him online.

Ribery looks set to leave the Allianz Arena when his contract expires in the summer, but he will hope to move past his fine and pick up his Bundesliga form where he left it before Christmas after scoring four goals in his last three games.

Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola confirmed on Friday that Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are "very interested" in 18-year-old winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The 52-year-old also said that the Blues are keen to keep the teenager at Stamford Bridge and have offered him a new deal, per BBC Sport.

"We've proposed a contract for quite a while, so we're waiting," he said. "We certainly value him as a player. It's about patience. I believe he has a bright future with us. I know Bayern is very interested in him, but we're interested in him as well."

Bayern Munich have offered Chelsea £30 million plus add-ons for the young winger after seeing bids of £15 million and £20 million rejected, according to the Guardian's Ed Aarons.

Hudson-Odoi has come through the academy at Chelsea and is one of the club's most highly rated young players. 

He has managed only 42 minutes in the Premier League this season, per WhoScored.com. However, he's made four appearances in the UEFA Europa League and has impressed:

Zola also explained why the teenager should not be too concerned about his lack of appearances:

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has also spoken highly of Hudson-Odoi but explained how he can get even better, according to the Guardian's David Hytner.

"He has the potential to be a great player and now he has to improve," he said. "With the ball, he is a very good player. He has to improve in movements without the ball. He has to improve in the defensive phase."

Chelsea have already made waves in the January transfer window by signing Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic, who has been loaned back to the Bundesliga side for the rest of the season.

Adam Crafton at the Daily Mail said Pulisic's arrival should not affect Hudson-Odoi:

Hudson-Odoi should get the chance to impress in the Chelsea first team on Saturday. The Blues play Championship side Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup, and Zola said "it is very much looking like he is going to play," per the club's official website.

Oliver Mintzlaff, the chief executive for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, has said star forward Timo Werner will be sold in the summer if he doesn't agree a new contract with the club.

The Germany international is rated as one of the most exciting young forwards in the game, having excelled for Leipzig since joining the club in 2016 from VfB Stuttgart.

Speaking about the player, Mintzlaff said the club need a show of commitment from the 22-year-old or they will look to cash in, per Kicker (h/t The Independent).

"Of course, we have to know at the latest after the end of the season," he said of Werner's deal, which is poised to expire at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

He continued:

"A club like us cannot afford to go with Timo Werner in a final contract year. But as long as we develop as a club, and of course the Champions League participation would be very helpful, I believe that Werner is still in good hands with us.

"If Timo does not strive for the highest possible salary, then it would be a good investment in his sporting future."

As The Independent noted, Premier League leaders Liverpool have consistently been linked with a move for Werner. 

In addition, the Germany starlet also spoke about a possible move to Bayern earlier this season. "There are other clubs in the picture," he told Sky Sports Germany (h/t Goal). "If you play in Germany and want to stay in Germany, there is only one club in question."

Werner endured a tough 2017-18 season, and despite being tipped for big things at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, he faltered under the bright lights of a major tournament.

However, he has responded from that setback well and has enjoyed his most prolific start to a Bundesliga campaign:

Given his age, his raw speed and his ability in front of goal, it's not a shock Leipzig are keen to keep Werner around for a while yet. It's also no surprise to see teams of the calibre of Liverpool and Bayern linked with him.

Should he go into the summer without agreeing an extension, there's also a chance that Leipzig would have to accept a knockdown fee for his services, which would be a major blow for the German club.

Since their promotion to the top flight, the striker has consistently been the team's most dependable source of goals:

For Liverpool or Bayern, a player of Werner's calibre would be a fine signing. While he may still have to work at certain areas of his game—most notably his play with his back to goal—when he has space to surge into, his natural attacking instincts are clear to see.

Having noted there are clubs interested in signing him, the forward may be hesitant about putting pen to paper with Leipzig, as the prospect of a new challenge at a European juggernaut would no doubt be appealing. For his current employers, that will be a big problem.