FC Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich and Germany defender Niklas Sule has said he considered a move to the Premier League in the summer of 2017. 

The 24-year-old made the switch to the Munich giants after excelling at Hoffenheim and has become a regular in the starting XI since the transfer. Sule is also a key man in the national setup under manager Joachim Low.

Speaking to Daniel Herzog of DAZN and Goal, Sule was asked about the transfer he made two years ago and the other options he had aside from Bayern:

"It was a thought to go to the Premier League [in 2017]. This is one of the leagues in which I really want to play. At the time, however, I saw the change to Munich as the best step. And, as you can see, I am very happy at Bayern.

"Not only because I got my way, but also because the fans and all the staff are great."

As the report noted, Chelsea were linked with a possible move for the centre-back, as were Manchester United.

Sule would have been a fine purchase for either team. At Bayern he has made further strides in his game, developing his ability on the ball while maintaining the physicality and aggression needed to be an elite centre-back.

Earlier in the campaign, OptaFranz noted how important the player is to getting Bayern's attacks started:

93 - Since moving to @FCBayernEN, no defender has such a high passing accuracy in the Bundesliga as birthday boy Niklas #Süle (93%, min. 100 passes). Rock. pic.twitter.com/rSZi5Aq2rc

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) September 3, 2019

As relayed by Goal's Ronan Murphy, Sule also said he has ambitions to become the best defender in the world:

Bayern Munich defender Niklas Süle to Goal/DAZN: "I want to become the best centre-back in the world, win the Champions League, and win one or more important titles with the national team." #FCBayern

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) September 30, 2019

Speaking ahead of the UEFA 2020 European Championship clash between Netherlands and Germany recently, Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who was nominated for the FIFA Best Men's Player prize this year, said he rates Sule highly.

"I've been watching Sule's development for a long time," said the Liverpool man. "I've played against him often, he is a very talented defender. Sule has a great future ahead of him. He plays for a big club and is already a cornerstone there."

For the time being, Sule appears to be content with life at Bayern. Following the arrival of 23-year-old Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid in the summer, the potential is there for a fantastic partnership to blossom at the back for years to come.

In 2019-20, Sule has played in all six of Bayern's games so far, helping the team to top spot in the Bundesliga. While his form has been good this term, overall the Munich club will be seeking to improve defensively, especially as they gear up for a challenging UEFA Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

Bayern Munich haven't given up on signing Manchester City star Leroy Sane, and club president Uli Hoeness has said the Bavarians will consider a transfer early in 2020. 

Goal's Ronan Murphy shared the 67-year-old's comments:

Uli Hoeness says Bayern Munich will consider their move for Man City's Leroy Sane early next year, telling SI: "We have to wait and see how his recovery is progressing, and in January or February the new leaders will sit down and decide." #FCBayern #MCFC

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) September 27, 2019

Sane is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that is expected to keep him out until February or March.

He suffered the injury in August, at a time when he was heavily linked with a switch to Bayern. The German champions went out of their way to deny reports a deal had already been struck:

News reports made today stating that Leroy Sané has decided to join FC Bayern do not correspond to the facts.

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) August 1, 2019

Once the 23-year-old suffered the injury, the rumours went mostly quiet. Bayern added to their wing options by signing Ivan Perisic on loan from Inter Milan.

Sane started 21 Premier League contests for City last season and was a big part of their success, scoring 10 goals and adding 10 assists during their title run. The 21 starts presented a regression compared to the previous campaign, however, when he started 27 matches.

The Sky Blues have a ton of options out wide, including Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva, arguably their breakout performer last season.

Bayern's options are comparatively limited. The Bundesliga giants said goodbye to longtime stars Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery during the summer, and their replacements aren't of the same level. Perisic, Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman are fine players but perhaps not world-class options like Sane.

The former Schalke man has already proved himself in Germany's top division:

As a German star at a position of need, he presents a perfect transfer target for Bayern. While he will undoubtedly be expensive, the fact that City have plenty of alternative options means they will likely be open to a deal.

Per MailOnline's Jack Gaughan, manager Pep Guardiola said he would be free to join Bayern if he wanted to back in July, further opening the door for a switch.

Guardiola will find out exactly how his team copes without Sane during the coming months, and if things go to plan for the Citizens, they may well decide to cash in on a player who seemingly wants to leave.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has threatened to stop making the club's players available for the Germany national team if Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen supersedes Manuel Neuer as the No. 1 goalkeeper.

Neuer has 90 caps compared to Ter Stegen's 22 and has started each of Germany's last 10 fixtures.

However, the Barcelona stopper continues to make a fine case to be given more chances by Joachim Low as he is consistently impressive for his club:

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is ridiculous ✋ pic.twitter.com/VsqGiQaVkd

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 17, 2019

Hoeness, though, has threatened to not make Bayern players available for Germany if Ter Stegen takes Neuer's place, per Sport Bild (h/t Rune Gjerulff of BuLiNews.com):

"We would never accept that. Before that happens, we will no longer provide players for the national team."

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is threatening the German national team if Marc-Andre ter Stegen starts ahead of Manuel Neuer 👀 pic.twitter.com/cHSqvmpjiS

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 25, 2019

Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff brushed off the threat, saying: "No [I'm not worried], because a club is obligated to release its players for international duty as per FIFA regulations."

If recent performances are anything to go by, Hoeness may yet have his bluff called.

Low has been loyal to Neuer for a long time, and when Germany won the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he was the best goalkeeper in the world.

That is no longer the case, and at Monday's The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019, it was Ter Stegen who came second to Liverpool's Alisson for The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper, with Neuer nowhere to be seen.

The truth is, at 33, Neuer is not the reliable presence he once was between the posts and has become increasingly prone to costly errors for Bayern:

Manuel Neuer on the other hand. He was the fifth worst first choice keeper in the league when it came to shot stopping, and allowed five more goals than an average keeper would have been expected to. pic.twitter.com/s8r4iLFM0y

— Hudl Statsbomb (@Statsbomb) August 16, 2019

Ter Stegen, meanwhile, is phenomenally consistent, and at 27, he has youth on his side.

As such, it is all but inevitable there will eventually come a time when the Barcelona man usurps Neuer for Germany, and it will be interesting to see if Hoeness tries to make good on his threat. 

Germany are back in action in October, when they face Argentina in a friendly and Estonia in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier.  

Philippe Coutinho has revealed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told him he was "happy" to see him join Bayern Munich on loan from Barcelona this summer.

Coutinho left Liverpool for Barca in January last year for €160 million (£147 million), but he signed for Bayern in August after struggling for form during his time at the Camp Nou.

The Brazilian told Sport Bild (h/t Goal) of Klopp: "He sent me a message and wished me good luck. He told me that Bayern is a big club and the Bundesliga is a great competition. He said he is very happy to see me there."

"He is simply an amazing coach, one of the best in the world," Coutinho added. "He is a true leader. I learned so much from him, especially on a psychological level."

Football writer Manuel Veth shared more of the playmaker's comments:

Coutinho to Sport Bild on #LFC head coach Jurgen Klopp: "His mentality is one of a kind. He always finds the right words, before, during and after games. He works hard and is focused. The sessions are intensive and he always manages to prepare his teams for the next opponent."

— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) September 10, 2019

Following Coutinho's move, Klopp said the Reds did not have the ability to bring him back to Anfield:

Is this Jurgen Klopp hinting that Liverpool DID want to re-sign Philippe Coutinho? 😱 pic.twitter.com/9wS2cijHhY

— GOAL (@goal) August 19, 2019

Bayern paid a loan fee of €8.5 million (£7.8 million) to secure his capture in the summer, as well as shouldering all of his wages, and they'll have the option to make his stay permanent at the end of the season for €120 million (£110 million).

Coutinho contributed 54 goals and 45 assists in 201 games for Liverpool. At Barcelona, he returned 21 goals and 11 assists in 76 matches.

As sports writer Andy West observed, he struggled to settle at the Camp Nou:

Coutinho just never fitted in at Barça. They needed someone to replace Iniesta and someone to replace Neymar but he could do neither. He does similar things to Messi but not as well, and never really looked comfortable. Don't see him coming back.

— Andy West (@andywest01) August 19, 2019

The 27-year-old will hope the move to Bayern can reignite his career while he's still in his prime.

Per Veth, he believes the physicality of German football suits him, as it did in the Premier League, more than in La Liga or Serie A.

Bayern lost attacking midfielder James Rodriguez in the summer at the end of his loan spell from Real Madrid, while wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben left the club.

As such, there's plenty of scope for him to hold down a place in the No. 10 position or out wide if he can return to the kind of form that earned him his move to Barcelona.  

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he advised Philippe Coutinho that Bayern Munich would be a "good fit" for him.

Coutinho moved to the Bundesliga champions from Barcelona in the summer, leaving the Camp Nou on a temporary basis just 18 months after his transfer from the Reds.

Speaking about his former player, Klopp said he encouraged Coutinho to make the switch to the Allianz Arena and noted the Reds were not able to fund a possible move for the player, per Bild (h/t Danny Gallagher of MailOnline).

"I personally told him that Bayern and him would be a good fit," he said. "He's a world-class player and a really good signing for Bayern—and the Bundesliga. ... We'd already spent all the money we got for him. I have already told him in person that he and Bayern will be a good fit."

Coutinho has only made two appearances for his new club. His first start, in which he was on the field for 67 minutes, came in Bayern's 6-1 demolition of Mainz before the international break.

Barcelona confirmed that Bayern do have an option in their loan agreement to buy Coutinho for a fee of €120 million (£107 million), while the German champions will shell out €8.5 million (£7.5 million) to take the player on loan for the season.

Although Coutinho struggled to make a consistent impression at Barca, the team performed better when he was in the side. He offered a regular creative presence when afforded a chance:

Barcelona with and without Coutinho starting in LaLiga

For more player stats -- https://t.co/UklSKJ0274 pic.twitter.com/uW8CrxorV4

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 20, 2019

📝 DONE DEAL 📝

Coutinho has today completed his loan move to Bayern Munich with an option to buy

Full news story -- https://t.co/L7yPNmhIvh pic.twitter.com/J7psfJcKqW

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 19, 2019

What frustrated those who frequent the Camp Nou was the midfielder's penchant for clinging on to the ball too long and the poor decision-making he frequently showed when he ventured into the final third.

By contrast, at Liverpool under Klopp, Coutinho was one of the most feared attacking players in the Premier League, as he was capable of unlocking defences with his silky dribbling and eye for a pass. 

The Brazilian also showed a penchant for spectacular goals during his time at Anfield, with his shooting from distance a trademark of his play:

Since his @lfc debut in Feb 2013, @Phil_Coutinho heads the list of goals scored from outside the penalty area in PL pic.twitter.com/I1UfBeQ99Y

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) December 26, 2017

He was only able to occasionally conjure these types of moments for Barcelona:

👀 Vidal, Coutinho, Jordi Alba & Suárez combined to give Barcelona the lead at Camp Nou...#UCL | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/X9PjsNAxk2

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 7, 2019

Bayern opted against signing James Rodriguez from Real Madrid after his two-year loan spell, while Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben also left in the summer. It meant there was a void of creativity in the side, something that Coutinho will be tasked with filling.

After a challenging time at Barcelona, the former Liverpool man will be hopeful of rediscovering the form he showcased on Merseyside. Klopp, who was arguably able to draw the best from the Brazil international, appears to be confident a switch to Munich is the right move for the player.

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has been charged with assault after allegedly attacking his former partner, German prosecutors told Agence France-Presse. 

Chief prosecutor Anne Leiding told AFP subsidiary SID the investigation into the allegations began in 2018: "The Munich prosecutor's office has had proceedings open against Jerome Boateng for dangerous assault since autumn 2018. Following extensive investigations, charges were brought on February 11, 2019."

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung (h/t Matt Maltby of the Mirror), a law firm representing Boateng denied the allegation: "It is a private matter, which is basically based on unproven accusations of a third party."

Prosecutors also confirmed the former Manchester City player is the subject of another assault investigation, per SID. The other allegation is reportedly being made by the same former partner, who is also the mother of his three children, per Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Boateng is a former UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup winner but has yet to break into Bayern's starting XI this season.

Germany coach Joachim Low announced in March he would no longer consider Boateng for his squad, along with Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller, with the manager opting to put his faith in the next generation of burgeoning talent, per Metro.

 

Niko Kovac was pleased with how Philippe Coutinho performed on his first start for Bayern Munich but knows there is more to come from the Barcelona loanee.

Coutinho, who arrived from the Camp Nou on a season-long loan two weeks ago, played 67 minutes of Bayern's 6-1 win over Mainz at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

The playmaker wasn't in on the goals, but he still did enough to catch his manager's eye. Kovac talked up what Coutinho did and how he'll get better, per Bundesliga.com (h/t Goal's Josh Thomas):

"We want to build Philippe up and the opportunity presented itself here at home to put him in the starting line-up. He had some good moments, especially on the ball. He played one or two really good passes in behind the defence and we created a great chance from one of them."

"We know he's not 100 per cent fit yet, so we planned to give him 60 to 70 minutes here. He'll regain his fitness by playing. I'm happy with his performance, but I know he'll improve."

Coutinho has echoed the words of his boss and is already targeting improvement after an indifferent spell at Barca. He spoke to the same source and saluted how the quality of Bayern's squad will help him: "There are a lot of good players, top players and great players (here). I'm really happy to be here so that I can learn from them and get better."

The Brazil international will be aware of the challenge facing him if he's going to make the grade in Munich. He was replaced by Thomas Muller against Mainz, one of the cornerstones of the success Bayern have enjoyed, both domestically and in Europe, throughout this decade.

His introduction underlined the strength of the competition for places in Kovac's squad.

Success on the home front appears set to continue after Die Roten swept Mainz aside with six different goalscorers. The result has put Bayern second following a 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin and a 3-0 win away to Schalke 04, a game in which Coutinho made his club debut off the bench.

➡ Enter the stage

Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic make their Bayern debuts 🔴 pic.twitter.com/C7crHxH6ci

— GOAL (@goal) August 26, 2019

Benjamin Pavard, David Alaba, Kingsley Coman, Robert Lewandowski, Alphonso Davies and Ivan Perisic all found the net. The latter is another loan capture this summer, having arrived from Inter Milan.

While Perisic is tasked with offering industry and a goal threat from wide areas, Coutinho will be expected to add flair in the middle. It's something he struggled to do during his time with Barca, where the former Liverpool man was often overshadowed by Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

At his best, Coutinho can give Bayern something the club lost this summer, namely a natural No. 10. James Rodriguez filled the role at times last season before the Colombian's loan spell from Real Madrid came to an end.

Coutinho has no shortage of players to supply at Bayern. Lewandowski, along with wide forwards Serge Gnabry and Coman, will all benefit from Coutinho's vision and technique.

He'll also combine well with Thiago Alcantara in the engine room. Both have the ingenuity and artistry to form the creative heartbeat of Kovac's team.

Messi usually owned that role at Barca, while there was rarely another natural technician alongside Coutinho in the middle once Andres Iniesta had moved to Japan. Now that he's in Munich, Coutinho has everything he needs to revive his career and get back to his pre-Barcelona brilliance.

Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac has hailed loan signing Philippe Coutinho as a "superstar" ahead of the team's Bundesliga showdown with Mainz on Saturday.

After a difficult 18 months at Barcelona, the Brazilian recently joined the Munich club on loan for the 2019/20 campaign. He made his debut in the 3-0 win over Schalke on Saturday, coming off the bench and impressing with some sharp pieces of play.

Bayern are back at the Allianz Arena for their third game of the season, and supporters will be keen to see their new signing make his full debut.

Kovac has praised Coutinho's talent and temperament ahead of that encounter:

🗣 Niko #Kovač on @Phil_Coutinho: "He's likeable, calm and reserved. That's what makes a superstar. He can do anything but he is still modest." #FCBM05 pic.twitter.com/bYdmcLWrW5

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) August 29, 2019

Kovac isn't the only key figure at Bayern to have talked up the talents of the Brazilian. Robert Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick in the win over Schalke, said Coutinho's end product is "insane" in a recent interview with Sport Bild (h/t Elliott Bretland of Goal).

"He can give us that something special," the Poland striker continued. "It makes us more unpredictable, which makes us more dangerous."

Coutinho has clearly made a big impact at his new club already. Bayern shared the following footage of some of his first days as a Munich player:

After it was confirmed the midfielder would be joining Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018, Coutinho and the Blaugrana appeared to be a match made in heaven.

The playmaker was renowned for his close control, dribbling skill and ability to conjure spectacular moments in the final third. However, he failed to settle at the Camp Nou, and his performances were littered with inconsistency.

As such, it wasn't a huge surprise to see Coutinho move to Bayern in an attempt to recharge his career. Barcelona confirmed that Bayern paid €8.5 million (£7.7 million) to take the midfielder on loan for the year, and the German champions can make the deal permanent for a fee of €120 million (£109 million).

After a torrid 2018/19, Coutinho will be hoping he can build on a strong summer, during which he was one of Brazil's best players in their Copa America success:

Coutinho: New @FCBayern signing @Phil_Coutinho was our top rated player at the 2019 Copa America pic.twitter.com/KTl1nbtqoT

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 16, 2019

Bayern performed well in their 3-0 win over Schalke, with the peerless Lewandowski well supported by Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Muller. With that in mind, Coutinho may have to wait for his first start of the Bundesliga season.

An international break follows the next fixture, and that will give Coutinho more chances to get minutes under his belt with the Selecao. Bayern face a tough match away at RB Leipzig when domestic football returns, and it's the type of game Kovac may have had in mind when the club brought in Coutinho.    

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:

Philippe Coutinho's record with Barcelona:

• 75 games
• 21 goals
• 11 assists
• 4 trophies

Can he rediscover his form with Bayern Munich? pic.twitter.com/CFKVY2OBbK

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 19, 2019

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

Barcelona with and without Coutinho starting in LaLiga

For more player stats -- https://t.co/UklSKJ0274 pic.twitter.com/uW8CrxorV4

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 20, 2019

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:

Was there ever any doubt? 😏

Perfection from Robert Lewandowski! ⚡️

He has scored against Schalke in a NINTH successive game 😳 pic.twitter.com/2BkKkgSmEn

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 24, 2019

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

“He’s a legend.”

After Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick at Schalke, new team-mate Philippe Coutinho told us on @FOXSoccer about his first impressions of him. pic.twitter.com/82AtUPojUY

— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) August 25, 2019

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

It's time to include Lewandowski in the conversation for best players in the world. Unreal.

— Cristian Nyari (@Cnyari) August 24, 2019

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.