FC Bayern Munich, news and rumours: €100 million for Bayer Leverkusen’s rising star? FCB sporting director Christoph Freund speaks out

Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Christoph Freund, has commented on the speculation surrounding alleged contact between the German record champions and Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane.

“I believe there are always discussions taking place in all sorts of directions, or that people talk to one another in the transfer market. But we have made no concrete statements on the matter. We do not engage in speculation or anything of the sort,” Freund explained at the press conference ahead of the FCB match against SC Freiburg.

In principle, FC Bayern would not be making any “statements or updates” regarding current transfer rumours, the Munich sporting director continued. “So we won’t be doing that here either.”

Earlier, Kofane’s agent Eric Depolo had revealed to the Daily Arsenal website that several top European clubs were interested in his client – including FC Bayern. Arsenal, in particular, had set their sights on the 19-year-old. “He is a €100 million player. With Kofane, Arsenal would have a top striker for the next ten years,” said Depolo.

The three-time Cameroon international moved from Spanish club Albacete Balompie to Leverkusen at the start of the season, with the German side investing around five million euros and securing his services until 2029. In 39 competitive matches to date, he has scored seven goals and provided eight assists across all competitions. His market value has risen sharply since then and currently stands at around 40 million euros.

Raphael Guerreiro will leave FC Bayern Munich at the end of the current season. Sporting director Christoph Freund explains the reasons behind this decision.

"It wasn’t easy, because he’s a great lad, has played many good games and is very versatile – that’s one of his great strengths. We’ve always said that when we make a decision, we tell the lads, so that’s what we’ve done now. We have our ideas about what the squad will look like in the summer, but there’s still a bit of time to go,” said Freund at the press conference ahead of the German record champions’ match against Freiburg.

Bayern announced last Monday that Guerreiro’s contract, which expires at the end of the season, would not be renewed. The versatile Portuguese player will therefore leave Munich after three years with the club.

Guerreiro joined Bayern on a free transfer from BVB in the summer of 2023, having been a target of then-manager Thomas Tuchel. He certainly made his appearances for the German record champions, but was unable to consistently match the form he showed during his glory days at Dortmund. Most recently, he was rarely called upon under Vincent Kompany and consequently spent most of his time on the substitutes’ bench.

Portugal’s top club Benfica and Italy’s record champions Juventus Turin are being touted as potential suitors.

Max Eberl has commented on Harry Kane’s current contract situation and given fans of the German record champions hope that his contract, which runs until 2027, might be extended.

“I see him, I sense him. He feels – to put it bluntly – right at home,” said Eberl in an interview with Absolut Bayern. The striker is “winning titles with the team, as well as personal accolades, and breaking records left, right and centre. Since his move to FC Bayern, the regard in which he is held has changed completely, even in his native England.”

The FCB sporting director therefore has a positive feeling about the situation, and talks regarding an early contract extension will take place "in the summer".

Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, firmly believes that international player Jamal Musiala will return to his best form before the World Cup.

“We’re giving him peace and trust, showing him we’re calm, so he can clear his head,” Eberl said in an interview with the Münchner Merkur/tz: “And when he creates another golden moment soon, as soon as he comes on, the injury will be forgotten in the blink of an eye.”

The fibula fracture and ankle dislocation that Musiala (23) suffered at the Club World Cup last summer were "a massive blow", said Eberl: "We knew that the recovery process would take time. It requires this time, both physically and mentally, even if it feels like an eternity." The "minor setback against Bergamo" is part of the process, "it goes up and down in waves," said Eberl.

Musiala had made his comeback in January, but most recently missed the German national team’s World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Ghana. However, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is not yet worried about the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada (11 June to 19 July). "He doesn’t have that much time left, there’s no question about that," Nagelsmann admitted, but added: "I’m confident he’ll get back to 100 per cent."

Eberl also said: “The important thing is that Jamal himself wants to get back to 100 per cent. He’s getting more and more excited too; he puts the most pressure on himself.” Musiala wants “to perform well, to show his abilities – so that he can help us first and then German football at the World Cup. He has enough time for that.”

On Monday, following his brief enforced break due to "pain" in his ankle, Musiala had resumed parts of team training at Bayern Munich and is expected to be an option for the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid (7 and 15 April).

(SID)

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