Jamal Musiala – The Empire of The Kop

Falk: Liverpool are ‘keeping an eye on’ 21y/o touted as potential future Ballon D’Or winner

Liam Togher — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 09:40:51 +0000

Christian Falk has said that Liverpool are ‘keeping an eye on’ one Bundesliga star who’s been touted as a potential future winner of the Ballon D’Or.

Earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano cited Jamal Musiala as a player in whom the Reds have a strong interest, along with Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Italian’s claims have now been corroborated by his colleague from Germany, who shared his latest information on the Bayern Munich talent in his Fact Files for Romano’s Daily Briefing.

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Falk wrote: “Manchester City are seriously interested in Jamal Musiala. Liverpool and Chelsea are also keeping an eye on the Bayern star. That said, it’s not like Musiala is putting pressure on his employers to leave Munich.

“First talks will be with the management of Bayern Munich. Musiala’s entourage wants to see a plan for the future, not just for himself, but also for the club. Progressing to the semi-final of this year’s Champions League was a good argument for Bayern Munich.

“The talks with Bayern will take place in the summer and they will try everything to keep hold of Musiala. They have to also show him their plans to develop his career; they have to show him it’s possible to have a similar career to Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid whilst staying in Munich.

“They have to show him he can be an international star without leaving the Bundesliga. There will be more money, of course, on offer to sweeten the deal.”

Musiala has been linked with Liverpool for some time now, so Reds fans could be forgiven for not getting overly excited about the ongoing speculation surrounding the 21-year-old.

From Falk’s update, it seems as if the playmaker would be open to remaining at Bayern if they can convince him of fulfilling his ambitions there. However, if he feels that he needs to move elsewhere to realise his full potential, that may give LFC the opportunity to pounce.

The Germany international is a dazzling player who excels at taking on opponents, is very reliable in possession and carries a genuine goal threat, netting 12 times in 36 appearances this season.

As per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of positional peers among Europe’s five main leagues for successful take-ons per game, the top 6% for pass completion per 90 minutes, and the top 12% for non-penalty xG per game.

Musiala is an outstanding talent, so much so that Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports in February (via Daily Mail): “I see a Ballon d’Or at some point in his career if he fulfils that potential.”

He’d no doubt be an incredibly exciting coup for Liverpool if they were to get him, and signing him this summer would be a massive statement by Richard Hughes in his first transfer window as the Reds’ sporting director.

The 21-year-old’s future is bound to be a hot topic as the market draws nearer to opening, especially if he stars for his country on home soil in Euro 2024.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Niko Kovac rumours, what if Amorim stays at Sporting? Summer contract calls, Crystal Palace review and much more!

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Fabrizio Romano just dropped Jamal Musiala news amid serious Liverpool interest

Farrell Keeling — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:26:32 +0000

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that multiple top outfits are keeping a close eye on Jamal Musiala ahead of the summer.

The talented Bayern Munich attacking midfielder has been linked with English outfits like Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

“For Jamal Musiala, guys, we are back there with many rumours – in this case coming from England,” the Italian spoke on his YouTube channel.

“If you remember, it was in October/November we heard strong rumours about Liverpool and I told you guys always the same position as I tell you today, we heard rumours now about Manchester City, about Chelsea… the reality is that all the top clubs in the world, even from Spain, love Jamal Musiala.

“But this is very easy, very normal. Many top clubs are following, appreciating, monitoring one of the best players in the world in Jamal Musiala.

“Manchester City are big fans of the player, but it’s the same for Chelsea, same for the clubs in Spain, same for people in Liverpool. Many top clubs following the situation of Musiala because he’s a special talent and he’s out of contract in 2026.”

The Bavarian outfit is understood to be particularly keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old, of course, with talks set to take place over his future in the coming months.

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What do the stats say about Jamal Musiala?

What on earth don’t they say?

Compared to fellow attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe, the former Chelsea academy star is ranking as one hell of a young talent.

The German has 19 goal contributions in 36 games this term – (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Musiala ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons, is reliable in his passing game (ranking in the 95th percentile) and contributes with a significant goal threat (89th percentile for non-penalty xG), according to FBref.

Don’t get us wrong – there’s plenty there left to develop, but my word what a footballer you’d be getting if Bayern were forced into selling.

Not that we can see that situation coming to light without the player and his entourage forcing a move.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Niko Kovac rumours, what if Amorim stays at Sporting? Summer contract calls, Crystal Palace review and much more!

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What Liverpool insider has heard the club say about Jamal Musiala ahead of the summer

Farrell Keeling — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 12:38:58 +0000

Jamal Musiala may have his best years ahead of him, but it seems unlikely that they’ll be played at Anfield as things currently stand.

Neil Jones shared one conversation with sources at Liverpool who confirmed the Reds’ admiration for the 21-year-old footballer.

“Musiala is different. At 21 he has his best years ahead of him, and he absolutely has the potential to be one of the very best in his position,” the Covering Liverpool journalist told CaughtOffside.

“I know that from a Bayern point of view, they are desperate to retain him, and I also know that pretty much every other top club in Europe, Liverpool included, would want to be in the conversation should he leave. I don’t imagine Manchester City or Real Madrid would be sitting on their hands there!

“Liverpool’s stance whenever I’ve asked has always been a ‘well, yes, of course we like him’ but as far as I’m aware there is nothing more concrete than that, despite the links. If I were a gambler, I’d bet on him staying at Bayern – even if I would love to see him at Anfield!”

Bayern Munich, understandably, will be particularly keen to keep hold of one of the most gifted players in European football.

An easier win for Liverpool fans may come in the form k9win and the unlimited bonuses they’re giving away for their veritable treasure trove of online games.

Rest assured, of course, that the Merseysiders won’t stay stagnant in the upcoming market. The impending exit of Jurgen Klopp – and the impending arrival of a new manager in the summer – heralds the prospect of new arrivals.

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Could another Bayern Munich star pique Liverpool’s interest?

We’ve been long linked with a move for former Pep Guardiola protege Joshua Kimmich.

Though that may be one move we’d be well-advised keeping away from, according to Jones: “Joshua Kimmich, for example, is being linked away, although from a Liverpool perspective I’d be giving that one a wide berth.”

The German international is some talent and could fill a need for the Reds in the holding six. That said, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the player is 29 years of age and would certainly require some leeway on our transfer policy of targeting younger players.

Thiago Alcantara, of course, demonstrates that we are prepared to bend our own rules where the talent in question is particularly noteworthy.

Only time will tell whether our recruitment team opts to break its own rule a second time going.

Could Liverpool raid Bayer Leverkusen?

It seems inevitable that Leverkusen will be the target of many a wandering eye this summer – particularly should they win a first-ever Bundesliga title.

The German outfit find themselves top of the table by 10 points thanks to up-and-coming manager Xabi Alonso – another intriguing quantity as far as Liverpool and Bayern Munich are concerned.

Alas, there is the possibility that neither party will be able to secure his signature this summer. Christian Falk now reports of rumours swirling over the possibility of the Spaniard staying put until 2026 in order to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

Leverkusen, however, may not be able to guarantee such short-term loyalty from all of their top stars should the Premier League come calling.

The priority for Liverpool is cover for Mo Salah

It remains to be seen what exactly our Egyptian King will look to do this summer ahead of his contract expiring in 2025.

Our expectation is that he will resist any Saudi offers that come his way at the end of the season.

However, that still leaves the head-scratching conundrum of how to protect the position long-term.

Snapping up a young, right-sided attacker who can learn from Salah, at the very least over the next season, seems the most appealing option.

Perhaps a new contract may even be on the cards for our top goalscorer!

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards and a multi-club model, Alonso’s Liverpool-esque moment and much more!

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Priority for Edwards: Liverpool very keen on summer swoop for £100m ‘difference maker’ – report

Liam Togher — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:12:38 +0000

It’s been less than a week since Michael Edwards’ return to Liverpool as CEO of Football was confirmed, but it seems that he already has transfer targets firmly in mind for the summer.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are ‘very keen’ to try and land Jamal Musiala, who carries an eye-watering £100m asking price from Bayern Munich.

The 21-year-old is believed to have rejected proposals for a new contract at the Allianz Arena, which could offer great encouragement to prospective suitors.

The report states that the Germany international is set to be one of Edwards’ ‘first priorities’ for the summer transfer window as he prepares for the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield.

Transfer links involving Musiala and Liverpool have been doing the rounds for some time now, although the Reds’ hierarchy couldn’t but be wowed by the youngster’s current form.

He scored two goals and set up another in Bayern’s 5-2 thrashing of Darmstadt at the weekend, with his performance prompting his manager Thomas Tuchel to describe him as a ‘difference maker’ in the team (Bavarian Football Works).

It brings the 21-year-old’s tally to five goals and four assists in his last five Bundesliga games (Transfermarkt), a hot streak which has surely elevated him in many sporting directors’ wish lists ahead of the summer.

Musiala is reportedly seeking a bumper pay rise at Bayern, one which mightn’t be feasible for the Munich giants. Should that impasse continue, the situation could well play into Liverpool’s hands, although the same could be said for other high-profile suitors.

Edwards boasts a reputation as one of the shrewdest transfer market operators around given his previous work at Anfield, so when he’s seemingly made the German playmaker a priority for the summer, we can take it that the player in question would have quite a lot to offer to the Reds.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards’ future, Liverpool contract latest, Musiala to Anfield and much more!

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Liverpool ready to pounce if European giants can’t reach agreement with ‘exceptional’ 21y/o

Liam Togher — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:09:24 +0000

According to reports from Germany, Liverpool could be ready to swoop if one of Europe’s most coveted talents becomes embroiled in a contract impasse.

The print edition of Sport Bild claimed (via Sport Witness) that the Reds are among three Premier League clubs keeping a close watch on Jamal Musiala’s situation at Bayern Munich.

It’s reported that Allianz Arena chiefs need to show the 21-year-old a career plan which could catapult him to becoming a global superstar like Jude Bellingham, and that it’d require a substantial increase to his base salary of €5m (£4.3m) per year.

Contract talks are currently planned for the end of the season, with a wariness in Bavaria that the Germany international could seek a return to England, where he spent the majority of his childhood.

Musiala’s contract situation at Bayern could indeed be one to watch with interest. If club chiefs are unable to offer him a wage packet in line with his career ambitions, that may open the door for Liverpool to pounce.

The attacking midfielder – who can also play on either flank – has 10 goals and six assists in 30 matches so far this season, and he’s currently enjoying a rich vein of form which has seen him plunder six goal contributions in his last four Bundesliga games (Transfermarkt).

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Michael Owen described the 21-year-old as an ‘exceptional’ talent with ‘unbelievable’ dribbling ability, and a player who’s ‘got the lot’ in terms of his skill set (Bavarian Football Works).

If Liverpool were to bring in Xabi Alonso as their next manager, the Spaniard might have eyes on a young talent who he’s seen up close during Bayer Leverkusen’s jousts against Bayern this season.

When the Bundesliga’s top two met last month in a 3-0 defeat for the Munich giants, Musiala stood out with his composure on the ball (93% passing success) and willingness to get stuck in (six duels won), via Sofascore.

Anfield chiefs will be watching matters at the Allianz Arena very closely, patiently waiting for their opportunity to strike if there’s any hint of an impasse in terms of a new contract for the youngster.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards’ future, Liverpool contract latest, Musiala to Anfield and much more!

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How much it will cost Liverpool to sign player Messi thinks is better than Bellingham – report

Farrell Keeling — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:19:45 +0000

It’s quite the compliment to have Leo Messi rank you as the most impressive player in world football under the age of 21.

The Argentine’s votes for the Kopa Trophy would certainly suggest as much for Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, with the German placed above Barcelona’s Pedri and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham.

Lionel Messi’s votes for the Kopa Trophy 2023 — Best Talent of the Year.

Musiala
Pedri
Bellingham pic.twitter.com/mgeAS7vO6e

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 3, 2023

It’s particularly interesting for Liverpool fans given the ongoing links between the Reds and the 20-year-old attacking midfielder.

Could Liverpool move for Musiala?

Christian Falk has already confirmed that we remain ‘very interested’ in the former Chelsea product, though, as one might rightly imagine, he’s sure to cost a pretty penny.

A current impasse over his contract situation has creaked open the door slightly for interested clubs to throw their hat into the ring,

Should Fichajes’ (via CaughtOffside) claim of a £86.7m asking price having been set be on the money, it’s difficult to imagine the trail of potential suitors being miles long.

For our part, we’re no strangers to committing big money to players our recruitment team are utterly convinced by. That said, it will ultimately depend a great deal on whether the player is considered a genuine Mo Salah successor – not to mention whether the Egyptian King opts to extend his stay at Anfield beyond the summer of 2024.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Andre ticks a box, Liverpool have a ‘real top player’ with Kevin De Bruyne gift, unfair treatment of Nunez and much more!

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Liverpool can sign £96m future Ballon d’Or winner says Agbonlahor; was worth £174k four years ago – reports

Farrell Keeling — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 13:49:27 +0000

Gabriel Agbonlahor has suggested that Jamal Musiala would be prepared to move to the Premier League amid ongoing links to Liverpool, as relayed in a report from Paisley Gates.

The German international wouldn’t come cheaply, however, with Bundesliga expert and insider Christian Falk telling BILD that Bayern Munich would be capable of asking for £96m for their star talent.

That’s quite the markup on a 20-year-old who signed for an absolute pittance at £174,246 back in 2019 (a compensation fee awarded to Chelsea).

Agbonlahor did question whether the attacking midfielder – whom he believes is capable of winning the Ballon d’Or – would win football’s most prestigious individual honour without switching to another league.

Should he become available, one might imagine we’d be curious at the prospect of throwing our hat into the ring for a player capable of filing out in midfield and on the left of a front-three.

He’s not exactly what we’d be looking for in a potential Mo Salah replacement given his status as a right-footed footballer, though it would be hard to say no to the idea of bolstering our midfield with another ludicrously talented operator in the middle of the park.

If Bayern fancy making the same mistake twice in as many years!

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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‘Hasn’t performed’: Pundit claims Liverpool signing has disappointed on the pitch since his transfer

Farrell Keeling — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 18:40:44 +0000

Gabriel Agbonlahor has questioned Alexis Mac Allister’s performance levels since his summer switch to Liverpool.

The Argentine international was snapped up for a paltry £35m, courtesy of a fortuitous release clause, and has since been forced to play at the base of the midfield with Jurgen Klopp yet to trust Wataru Endo (and amid the recovery of Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic).

To put things into context, the former Aston Villa hitman had been asked whether Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala would be a worthwhile transfer target for the Reds, to which he replied for Football Insider: “If I look at Liverpool and their team – Szoboszlai and Mac Allister. Mac Allister hasn’t performed yet, for me.

“I think they’re missing one more top midfielder in there.”

It’s fair to say, with all due respect to the talkSPORT pundit, that we’re entirely in disagreement over the nature of the World Cup winner’s start to life at L4.

Meanwhile, we are indeed understood to be keeping an eye on the young Germany international amid an ongoing impasse over a contract extension at the Allianz Arena.

Liverpool should be keen on Jamal Musiala

How keen we’d be to snap up the 20-year-old – not to mention how difficult Bayern would make life for us in light of how silly we’ve made them look over Ryan Gravenberch – remains to be seen.

There’s not a question in our minds, of course, that we’d jump at the opportunity (and we’d hope decision-makers at Anfield would follow) to land such a prestigious talent were it the case Musiala deemed his future better served at an alternative European outfit.

If the Bavarians can’t manage to persuade him to extend his stay, it’s simply one transfer we should throw ourselves at. Provided the finances are realistic, as ever.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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‘Right now…’ – Reliable journalist assesses Liverpool’s chances of landing Jamal Musiala in 2024

Liam Togher — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:50:42 +0000

Neil Jones has given his assessment of Liverpool’s chances of securing a move for Jamal Musiala in 2024.

The Bayern Munich midfielder has been strongly linked with the Reds in recent days, with Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke writing that Anfield chiefs are ‘doing their due diligence on a potential deal’ for the 20-year-old, who they view as a ‘superstar in the making’.

It’s only a few weeks since Jurgen Klopp raided the Allianz Arena for one midfield gem in Ryan Gravenberch, but one of the most reliable sources on LFC transfer news has doubted the possibility of a second lightning strike in that regard.

In his latest column for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Jones wrote: “I don’t think there is a club in Europe who wouldn’t like Jamal Musiala in their squad, and Liverpool are no different. But admiring a player and signing him are two different things, as evidenced by the Reds’ failure to land Jude Bellingham.

“Musiala, I believe, is of a similar level to Bellingham, and as such would be very tough for the Reds to sign, both in terms of the finances required and the competition they would face.

“His contract situation at Bayern Munich is one that will be monitored, but I would expect the Bavarians to go all-out in trying to keep him. He’s the jewel in their crown, along with Harry Kane, and Bayern don’t tend to lose such players without a fight.

“Liverpool, of course, have already made significant steps in overhauling their midfield, and particularly their attacking midfield options. Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are players for the long-term, the best is to come from Mac Allister, who may well be better in a more advanced role, while the development of Elliott and Jones provides Klopp with two more potential stars of the future.

“Musiala, of course, is exactly that too, but while I’d love to see him at Anfield at some point, I’d say a deal right now would be a very difficult one for Liverpool to do.”

One thing Liverpool chiefs will surely recognise is that if they are to lure Musiala to Anfield, it won’t be done without Bayern putting up an almighty fight to try and keep the player.

The Munich giants’ sporting director Christoph Freund is understood to have held a meeting with the player’s representatives in recent days, with the Bundesliga champions determined to see him ‘become the decisive face of the club’ despite the youngster’s unwillingness to extend his current contract (Florian Plettenberg).

Whether or not the Reds actively attempt to sign him could depend on what their transfer priorities are for January, with a defensive midfielder and a versatile defender perhaps being higher up the list than another playmaker.

Then again, having missed the boat on Bellingham earlier this year, Liverpool could be reluctant to pass up the opportunity to try and bring in another Golden Boy candidate in Musiala.

We shouldn’t discount the possibility of Jorg Schmadtke attempting to persuade the 20-year-old to come to Anfield, but as Jones says, it could be a very challenging deal to pull off.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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1 goal, 3 dribbles, 5 duels won: Liverpool-linked maestro gave an ‘exceptional’ display last night

Liam Togher — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:18:14 +0000

Liverpool fans mightn’t have been able to watch their own team in Champions League action last night, but they may have been keeping their eye on one player who’s currently being strongly linked with the Reds.

As per Football Insider, there have been reports in recent days that Anfield transfer chiefs are ‘doing their due diligence on a potential deal’ for Jamal Musiala, who’s viewed as a ‘superstar in the making’ – a billing he’d have underlined on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old put the seal on Bayern Munich’s win over Galatasaray as he rounded off the scoring in their 3-1 win, which leaves them with one foot in the round of 16 already, but it wasn’t just with the goal that the young midfielder stood out.

As per Sofascore, the youngster was very tidy in possession as he completed 31 of his 34 passes (91%), while he ended the night with three successful dribbles, played two key passes, created one ‘big chance’ and found a teammate with two of his three long balls.

Musiala also put in his share of effort when Thomas Tuchel’s side didn’t have the ball, winning five duels and making one tackle and one interception in Istanbul, with Michael Owen praising him for an ‘exceptional’ display on TNT Sports.

If Liverpool are serious about trying to bring the 25-cap Germany international to Anfield, performances such as this will likely jolt Jorg Schmadtke and co into accelerating their efforts to woo him.

The transfer focus in January is set to be on adding a top-quality defensive midfielder – hence the ongoing interest in the likes of Andre Trindade – and possibly a versatile defender.

Therefore, Bayern’s playmaking gem might drop down the priority list somewhat, but the Reds’ recruitment team would’ve been mightily impressed by what they saw of him last night.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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‘Monitoring him’ – Plettenberg provides update on future of 20 y/o Bundesliga ace amid Liverpool links

Max Rudd — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:00:15 +0000

Florian Plettenberg has provided an update on the future of Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala amid reports linking the German international with a move to Liverpool.

The 20-year-old is under contract at the Allianz Arena until the summer of 2026 but there have been claims that the Stuttgart-born talent is yet to engage in talks over a fresh deal.

Musiala is recognised as one of Europe’s hottest prospects at the moment and has so far registered one goal and three assists this term (across all competitions) but Plettenberg, via his account on X, has claimed it’s ‘unlikely’ the attacking midfielder will head to Anfield – instead claiming a move to Real Madrid or Manchester City is more likely if he does opt for a move away from the Bundesliga champions.

Jamal #Musiala is currently not thinking about leaving FC Bayern. Liverpool is monitoring him as a possible top replacement for Salah in 2024. But his move to #LFC is absolutely unlikely.

If he really would leave Bayern in the next years there are the only two realistic… pic.twitter.com/xw6wS7SkOj

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 24, 2023

Liverpool are pretty well stocked in the attacking department at the moment so it’s believed that Jurgen Klopp and Co. will seek to strengthen the Reds’ defensive options across the next couple of transfer windows.

A move for Musiala would certainly be an exciting one given his rather frightening potential but Plettenberg’s update somewhat puts an end to any speculation.

It would be a blow to see him head to another Premier League side, especially a rival in the form of City, but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Ryan Gravenberch has thrived since leaving Bayern for Liverpool in the summer but we can’t see the two clubs engaging in any further transfer business anytime soon.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Bayern just held meeting with Liverpool target’s management; player has ‘no intention to extend’ contract

Farrell Keeling — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:49:29 +0000

Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Christoph Freund, is understood to have held a meeting with Jamal Musiala’s management.

Florian Plettenberg reported the update on X amid Liverpool’s interest in the German international (Football Insider), with the player currently unwilling to extend his terms at the Allianz Arena.

Christoph Freund has had a meeting with Musialas management. The bosses want him to become the decisive face of the club. But at the moment the are no concrete talks about a new contract beyond 2026.

And as always reported via BILD the 20 y/o has no intention no extend… pic.twitter.com/xXqN1lCFcU

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 24, 2023

Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the Reds are, alongside Manchester City, doing their ‘due diligence’ over the possibility of landing the attacking midfielder in future.

Jamal Musiala’s stance on Liverpool

If one is to take Philipp Kessler’s reporting on the matter as gospel, Musiala is not considering Anfield as a possible destination as things currently stand.

That’s an understandable position to take in light of the project Thomas Tuchel is building in Bavaria, with top striker Harry Kane signed alongside a host of other exciting additions to the squad in the summer window.

Jamal Musiala has four goal contributions from nine games this term – (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Presuming that Bayern can hold out until January for a top holding midfielder – a key requirement for the manager – you’d have to consider the Munich-based outfit a genuine contender for Champions League glory this term.

That’s not to suggest Liverpool as an option is a total non-starter in future, with a midfield overhaul completely transforming our fortunes in 2023/24.

We have our own transfer priorities to cater to, of course, which conflict with the need for an attacking midfielder, though it’s difficult to imagine us not being tempted into the market should a player of Musiala’s quality be made available.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Liverpool doing ‘due diligence’ over signing £80.3m player; could have signed him for just £174,000 in 2019 – report

Farrell Keeling — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 18:52:38 +0000

Liverpool are understood to be ‘doing their due diligence’ over the possibility of signing Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.

This comes courtesy of Pete O’Rourke at Football Insider, with links emerging to both the Reds and league rivals Manchester City amid speculation over the £80.3m (according to Football Transfers’ valuation system) player’s future.

The young attacking midfielder is reportedly unhappy with his current amount of playing time at the Allianz Arena, having only made three starts in the Bundesliga in 2023/24.

There would, one might imagine be serious doubts over our chances of signing the player were he to require his wages to be at least doubled, as has been suggested by Christian Falk.

That would, according to Capology, mean that we’d have to potentially offer wages of at least £166,000-per-week to tempt him over to Merseyside – a salary that would see him overtake Dominik Szoboszlai’s, Alisson Becker’s and Darwin Nunez’s current wage packets.

It’s possible, of course, that the possibility of starting afresh alongside former teammate Ryan Gravenberch proves more than tempting enough alongside an increased (though not as significantly) weekly salary.

At any rate, Bayern Munich won’t necessarily feel like massive losers in this deal, should they be forced into selling a player they first acquired from Chelsea’s Academy for a meagre €200k (£174.1k) compensation fee (Football Transfers) back in 2019.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Jamal Musiala’s stance on Liverpool move now made clear – journalist

Farrell Keeling — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 18:23:39 +0000

Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala may be a nonstarter, with the German said to not be actively considering the Reds as a possible destination.

The Austrian relayed an update from fellow sports reporter Manuel Bonke on X, with the attacking midfielder’s ‘first point of contact’ continuing to be Thomas Tuchel’s outfit.

Liverpool ist für Jamal Musiala aktuell kein Thema. Sein erster Ansprechpartner bleibt der FC Bayern. Ihm ist künftig wichtig, dass seine Visionen umgesetzt werden können. Er will weitere große Titel gewinnen, u.a. die Champions League, und auch Weltfußballer werden. @mano_bonke

— Philipp Kessler (@kessler_philipp) October 19, 2023

This comes amid reports of the player and his agent being yet to engage in talks with the German champions over a contract extension.

Empire of the Kop understands that Liverpool are admirers of the 20-year-old, though Christian Falk’s update on the matter does make clear that we’d have to potentially double the player’s salary to lure him to the Premier League in future.

Whether that’s an option that will appeal at a time when we’ll be expected to answer the especially complex question of Mo Salah’s future at the club (with the Egyptian having only a year left on his contract in the summer of 2024) remains to be seen.

One might also expect that further questions will be asked of a backline that may very well be depleted of Joel Matip and in dire need of reinforcements down the left flank.

With Musiala having amassed 32 goal contributions last term and a further three added to the bank from eight appearances in 2023/24, however, the former Chelsea Academy product looks set to continue to attract wandering eyes for the foreseeable future.

Who knows? It’s not entirely out of the question that we dig our hands into our pockets in a bid to land an exceptional talent next summer should Bayern fail to reach an agreement with their prodigy.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post Jamal Musiala’s stance on Liverpool move now made clear – journalist appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

‘After Jude Bellingham…’ – Liverpool plan transfer redemption with midfielder who scored 16 goals last season

Farrell Keeling — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 08:51:01 +0000

With two of Liverpool’s key decision-makers in Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke boasting extensive experience in the Bundesliga, it was only inevitable that their eyes would latch onto the talent available in Germany.

It seems Liverpool could be set to expand their squad further courtesy of the German top-flight, with Christian Falk reporting the Reds’ significant interest in Bayern ace Jamal Musiala.

“Liverpool’s German coach, Jürgen Klopp, and sports director, Jörg Schmadtke, are once again eyeing the Bundesliga – and could really annoy FC Bayern over three personalities!” the BILD reporter wrote for CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“The most important: Liverpool are very interested in Jamal Musiala.

“After Jude Bellingham, the Reds don’t want to miss out on the next talent from the Bundesliga originally trained in England.”

The Bavarian giants have been relatively frequently engaged with the Anfield-based outfit in recent years, with Sadio Mane, Thiago Alcantara and Ryan Gravenberch all trading places.

Whether the Bundesliga-holders would tolerate the departure of yet another top-rated talent in such quick succession, however, is another matter entirely.

The motivation on our own end, of course, seems very clear: avoid a repeat of the Jude Bellingham situation that saw Real Madrid win his signature virtually uncontested after we pulled out for financial reasons.

Assuming that the player’s demands aren’t entirely unreasonable, we’re certain you’d find many a Liverpool fan willing to forgive and forget the loss of England’s generational talent should we go ahead and secure Germany’s next great shining light.

Repeat or improve his feat of 16 goals and 16 assists registered last term and one might dare say Musiala will have his fair share of potential suitors to choose from next summer.

#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post ‘After Jude Bellingham…’ – Liverpool plan transfer redemption with midfielder who scored 16 goals last season appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.