Bayern Munich remain committed to their pursuit of Xabi Alonso this summer.

The club’s sporting director, Max Eberl, told Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg that the Bavarians were hoping to conclude their search in April.

Should the incumbent Bundesliga holders fail to convince the Spanish head coach to take up the role in question, Roberto De Zerbi would be the next candidate on the list.

Exclusive Max Eberl – The new Bayern boss about the schedule in the search for a coach:

„As soon as possible! We're now entering April. It would be nice if we could manage it in April. Without having an ultimate day. If it takes longer, then it takes a bit longer. We want to… pic.twitter.com/83qT9GLPQl

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) March 28, 2024

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Next Liverpool manager: David Ornstein lifts lid on Xabi Alonso latest amid three-way tug of war

READ MORE: ‘Definitely’: David Ornstein shares what he’s now hearing about Liverpool & Ruben Amorim

Alonso’s future is still up in the air

Well, in the space of a week it seems we’ve gone from ‘Alonso is definitely going to Bayern’ to ‘well, nobody really can say for sure’.

It’s not entirely surprising given that the 42-year-old is notoriously tight-lipped over his career pathway – just ask Guillem Balague!

That’s not to suggest Liverpool are the more likely option to snag their former player’s signature and services for the foreseeable future either!

The options of Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen or a return to Anfield all carry some merit. Only time will tell which project proves the most appealing!

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

The post Xabi Alonso latest: What Bayern honcho is now saying about manager search appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Christian Falk has shared details of a conversation he had with Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl regarding Jurgen Klopp.

The Liverpool manager is stepping down at the end of this season, and the Bundesliga champions are also on the lookout for a new head coach to take over from Thomas Tuchel once the current campaign ends.

That has inevitably led to some whispers that the Bavarian giants could seek the 56-year-old to come in at the Allianz Arena, but in truth such a move isn’t likely to materialise in the foreseeable future.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

Writing in his Fact Files for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, Falk revealed: “I recently sat with Max Eberl, FC Bayern’s new sports director, for an hour and a half. In Munich, the fans continue to hope that Eberl will try out Jürgen Klopp after all. Bayern needs a successor for Thomas Tuchel, who will leave early in the summer. But Eberl will not pick up the phone for Klopp.

“Eberl told me: ‘I know what it means when you make statements like Kloppo, who said: ‘I have no energy left.’ Few people can judge that better than me, because I’ve been through it. That’s why I won’t call him.’ Eberl had experienced burnout and had to quit as manager of Mönchengladbach.”

READ MORE: ‘Fewer believe…’ – German journalist shares Xabi Alonso claim which could sicken Liverpool fans

READ MORE: European giants ‘exhaustively monitoring’ situation of £180k-p/w Liverpool stalwart

In making the bombshell announcement about leaving Liverpool, Klopp attributed his decision to ‘running out of energy’, which didn’t make the shock news any easier to absorb but simpler to understand, with the German having been in management almost non-stop since 2001.

It therefore seemed illogical that he’d duly take up one of the most pressurised roles in European football as Bayern boss, and when Eberl – who’s able to relate because of his own experiences – dismisses the idea of the 56-year-old coming to Munich, it’s safe to say that Bavarian chiefs will be looking elsewhere for Tuchel’s successor.

Similar to Pep Guardiola after he left Barcelona in 2012, the Reds manager looks set to take a year out of football, after which he might possibly return to the sport if the right opportunity comes up.

Klopp is a person who lives off a passion and energy for his work, and when that begins to subside and he no longer thinks he can bring his full self to the role, it’s natural that he wants to step away.

One thing is for sure – Bayern Munich isn’t the place to go for a manager who needs a break due to burnout.

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

The post ‘Eberl told me…’ – Christian Falk shares what Bayern chief has said to him about Jurgen Klopp appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

It’s official – Liverpool have finally boxed off the appointment of Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes as their next sporting director. It’s Michael Edwards’ first major move since rejoining FSG as CEO of Football.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich operator Max Eberl has been tugging at the heartstrings with his subtle emotional pitch to Xabi Alonso.

“He played at FC Bayern. But I don’t want to trigger the headline – ‘Xabi fits Bayern!’,” the former Gladbach man told SportBILD (via Fussball Transfers).

“I’m talking about the fact that he knows this club.

“He is under contract with Leverkusen and can win the double there and also the Europa League.”

The former Spanish international has exceeded every expectation in his brief managerial stint in Germany. His Bayern Leverkusen side currently top the table in the Bundesliga and are on course for a potential treble.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Richard Hughes outlines what Liverpool fans can now expect from him as sporting director

READ MORE: Michael Edwards confirms huge news coming out of Liverpool this afternoon

Liverpool’s next manager: Don’t play the former club card

If you’re going to, it’s worth remembering Alonso spent considerably more time in Merseyside than in Munich.

210 appearances accumulated with Liverpool outranks his 117 outings with the incumbent German champions.

Alonso’s also on record as saying he’d like a return to Anfield at some stage, having admitted he’s dreamt of managing his old club.

“Yeah for sure, I have dreamt of that, for sure,” the 42-year-old told Guillem Balague on talkSPORT (via the Daily Mail).

Alonso has plenty of options

Let’s get one thing straight: Our old midfielder is very much his own man, so he won’t be swayed into making any decision unless it’s the perfect one for him.

Rightly so, we might add.

Alonso has helped build quite the team with Bayer Leverkusen and Champions League football looks a given for the club in 2024/25.

Might he be tempted to stay put and continue to develop his craft? Perhaps!

It would leave both Liverpool and Bayern in a bit of a pickle, but it’s not a possibility we should discount completely at this stage.

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

The post What Bayern’s sporting director is now saying about Xabi Alonso as Edwards makes first move appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

German football journalist Christian Falk has shared his latest information on Liverpool’s links with a potential candidate for the sporting director role at Anfield.

The position is currently held by Jorg Schmadtke, although his contract only runs to next summer, so the Reds could already be looking at successors to the 59-year-old.

To that effect, Max Eberl – who previously held a similar position at RB Leipzig – is believed to have reached an agreement with both LFC and Bayern Munich over a major backroom role at either club (Sports Zone).

Writing for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Falk outlined: “It will soon be decided whether Max Eberl will become director of sport at FC Bayern or whether Liverpool can hope to bring him to England.

“The paths are short: Eberl and Jürgen Klopp have the same agent, Marc Kosicke. But I have heard that if Bayern come knocking, they will take preference over Liverpool. However, there are still internal discussions in Munich as to whether Eberl is still needed alongside manager Christoph Freund.

“I know: Eberl would also take the step to England. Liverpool appeals to him. But he is even more attracted to FC Bayern. Bayern is his former club as a player and his great love.”

READ MORE: (Video) Virgil van Dijk was absolutely buzzing after Liverpool cleared tricky Bournemouth hurdle

READ MORE: ELN representative pledges to release Luis Diaz’s father after kidnapping in Colombia

Despite Falk’s assertion that Liverpool ‘appeals to’ Eberl, it still seems as if Bayern is his first preference, and if it comes down to a straight choice between the two clubs, the 50-year-old will most likely choose the Bundesliga champions.

However, much could also depend on whether Munich chief Jan-Christian Dreesen decides to delegate more responsibility to current sporting director Freund, which might see the club decide against hiring the former Leipzig man.

If the Reds can entice Eberl to Anfield, it’d represent an impressive coup and hopefully bring stability to a position which has already changed hands twice in the last 18 months following the exit of the long-serving Michael Edwards.

However, even if the 50-year-old were to end up at Bayern, hopefully Liverpool could entice Schmadtke to stay beyond next summer, considering the fine job he’s done in overseeing a much-needed midfield rebuild which has seen Dominik Szoboszlai in particular prove to be a masterstroke signing.

It does seen as if Eberl’s fate will rest on the degree of interest that the Bundesliga champions show.

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!

The post ‘Liverpool appeals to him…’ – Falk shares the latest on Anfield sporting director candidate appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Max Eberl has reportedly hit upon an agreement with both Liverpool AND Bayern Munich if reports are to be believed.

This comes courtesy of a tweet from Sports Zone, with the outlet reiterating the prior understanding that the German would prefer a move to Bavaria.

The 50-year-old is observing a period of garden leave, however, and could yet link up with the Reds depending on whether or not the Bundesliga champions can align internally on the matter.

READ MORE: Liverpool three days away from January signing clarification as journo drops transfer claim

READ MORE: Confirmed Liverpool team news vs Bournemouth: Szoboszlai & Salah start in rotated XI

CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen is still yet to sign off on the move, allegedly preferring to hand more responsibility to current sporting director Christoph Freund.

Theoretically, that could create an opportunity for us to pounce and secure the signature of the highly-respected executive.

As a former Bayern man, however, one would have to imagine that Thomas Tuchel’s men have the edge in the matter, as things currently stand!

Only time will tell whether the lure of Liverpool can overcome old, familiar ties for Eberl.

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!

The post Liverpool hit upon behind-the-scenes agreement that will delight fans if hurdle is cleared – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Max Eberl is said to be prioritising a potential switch to Bayern Munich in news that will undoubtedly disappoint the Anfield faithful.

BILD (via Sport Witness), however, reports that the German outfit’s CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, has yet to green-light the move for the former RB Leipzig employee. This is despite Uli Hoeneß, Herbert Hainer and Michael Diederich all being in support of the plan.

The Reds remain rivals for the Bogen-born 55-year-old, though it remains unclear how this tug-of-war will pan out.

READ MORE: Andre points to key figure responsible for Liverpool summer snub

READ MORE: ‘We can say a lot’: Pep Lijnders points out telling reality about 26-year-old Liverpool player

No hope for Jorg Schmadtke beyond the summer?

It seems a little harsh that Jorg Schmadtke’s Liverpool career could come to an end next year.

The former Wolfsburg man has overseen quite an impressive summer window despite the challenges of an inflated market and Saudi spending power.

It’s fair to say each and every purchase has looked an increasingly impressive addition with the minimum target of a midfield rebuild achieved.

Still, when the opportunity to land a top operator like Eberl comes along, you can hardly blame our eyes for wandering.

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!

The post Bayern chief still hasn’t signed off on Max Eberl move; Liverpool could swoop – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Florian Plettenberg has provided an update on Liverpool’s search for a new sporting director.

Jorge Schmadtke came out of retirement to take up the position at Anfield in the summer but was only expected to stay on Merseyside for 12 months.

After a rather successful summer transfer window journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that the German may remain with the Reds beyond next summer, but reports recently have suggested that the Merseysiders are weighing up a move for former RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl and Plettenberg has now weighed in on them reports.

News Max #Eberl: He‘s not in concrete talks or in negotiations with Liverpool at the moment.

As the 50 y/o still wants to join FC Bayern!

But: #LFC boss Billy Hogan and Eberl have a good relation. Liverpool wanted to bring him in as their new Sporting Director in 2022.… pic.twitter.com/AVEBE4JNsi

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 18, 2023

READ MORE: ‘The truth is’ – Nunez on being a ‘little cramped’ with Merseyside derby just two days away

It appears that Eberl is somewhat of a long-term target for Liverpool but the 50-year-old would prefer to remain in Germany.

The prospect of working alongside Jurgen Klopp, however, is something that could appeal to him if a move to the Allianz Arena doesn’t come to fruition.

Schmadtke, meanwhile, can be pleased with the job he did during the summer as we brought in four quality midfielders.

We may have missed out on the likes of Moises Cached and Romeo Lavia but that was down to the players themselves and the decisions they made rather than a lack of investments or negotiations.

It remains to be seen what happens regarding our search for a new sporting director but we’re sure Schmadtke will be eager to complete more decent business in January.

Anfield Annals: Jimmy McInnes; Liverpool defender to club secretary to suicide on the Kop

The post ‘It now depends’ – Plettenberg provides fresh update on Liverpool’s search for new sporting director appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Neil Jones cited one potential obstacle Liverpool may need to overcome if they’re to lure one reported sporting director candidate to Anfield.

In recent days, Christian Falk claimed that the Reds are interested in hiring Max Eberl for the role if Jorg Schmadtke leaves in 2024, although Bayern Munich are also ‘in talks’ with the former RB Leipzig chief.

Speaking to Empire of the Kop’s Substack, the journalist highlighted that the pull of the Bundesliga champions for a man who came through their academy and played with them could pose a challenge for LFC.

Jones stated: “Eberl has a really good reputation in Germany. I know it didn’t end well for him at Leipzig but he’s got a very good reputation as one of the best executives going in the Bundesliga.

“If he is on the market – and if Liverpool are in the market for a longer-term sporting director, which they are! – it makes sense that they are at least asking the question.

“We’ll see if anything develops on it, but Bayern Munich’s involvement definitely muddies the water a little bit. He’s a Bayern Munich guy, as well, isn’t he? He came through their youth system and he’s played for their senior side, albeit briefly! So you can understand if he felt a real pull towards Bavaria.”

READ MORE: (Video) Gary Neville includes £150k-p/w Liverpool titan as part of his perfect Premier League player

READ MORE: (Video) Harvey Elliott channels his inner Firmino with sublime finish in England U21 training

Within Germany, many players who impress in the Bundesliga are duly snapped up by Bayern – Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski, Mario Götze, Philipp Lahm and Michael Ballack are among some of the prominent examples going back through the years.

It may well be the same at boardroom level, with the country’s most successful club boasting a natural lure for plenty of footballing figures, either on or off the pitch.

That, and Eberl’s previous ties with the Munich giants, could put them in a strong position to get their man, although Liverpool may have one significant edge over the German giants.

As Jones pointed out, the role of sporting director is considered the top job in the Anfield hierarchy, whereas that isn’t the case at Bayern.

As the man who brokered signings such as Yann Sommer and Marcus Thuram during his time at Borussia Monchengladbach, along with Xavi Simons at Leipzig, Eberl has an established track record for masterminding standout transfers.

That makes it easy to see why a pair of six-time European Cup-winning clubs are believed to be keen on hiring him. Time will tell as to whether Liverpool can make a strong enough case to entice him to snub his former club in favour of eventually taking over from Schmadtke.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 8 Review : Isak or Alvarez the man to watch? Dominance in EOTK’s league, time to go big on Villa/Spurs/West Ham…

The post ‘Muddies the water’ – Journo cites potential obstacle for Liverpool over mooted Schmadke successor appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool could soon replace Jorg Schmadtke with a former Bundesliga colleague if reports coming out of Germany are on the mark.

You can be sure of the veracity too, following BILD journalist Christian Falk’s tweet on the matter on Friday, confirming the Reds’ interest in ‘bringing in Max Eberl as sporting director’.

According to our information, FC Liverpool are interested in bringing in Max Eberl as sporting director. Ex-Wolfsburg manager Jörg Schmadtke (59) is current sports director of Jürgen Klopp's (56) club since June. Bayern is also in Talks with Eberl @BILD_Sport

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) October 13, 2023

The former RB Leipzig employee is understood to be well-regarded in German football, with Bayern currently holding talks with the 50-year-old over filling a post at the Allianz Arena.

READ MORE: FSG may be spared Jurgen Klopp nightmare as contract clause details emerge

READ MORE: ‘Documents completed’: Fabrizio Romano breaks curious Liverpool development he’s heard during int’l break

The possibility of being a key decision-maker at Anfield and working alongside the most reputable German manager in the sport, however, could prove a more tempting prospect.

When you hear the kind of names that Eberl has helped develop in the Bundesliga – the likes of Dortmund’s Marco Reus and Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen – you couldn’t blame Liverpool fans either for casting a curious eye.

It shouldn’t be forgotten, of course, that Schmadtke hardly had a poor first transfer window at L4, with our trio of Bundesliga purchases looking astute purchases.

Though, if the reports in question are accurate, it seems we’ve already made our mind up about his long-term future at the club.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 8 Review : Isak or Alvarez the man to watch? Dominance in EOTK’s league, time to go big on Villa/Spurs/West Ham…

The post ‘Our information’: Trusted journo drops bombshell Liverpool development over sporting director role appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Gladbach Sporting Director, Max Eberl, has spoken of his hopes for Liverpool to draw the Bundesliga side in the last 16 to continue a ‘special’ season of European football, as reported by Inside Futbol (via the Echo).

Die Fohlen have had a challenging Champions League campaign so far, cementing their place as runners-up to Real Madrid, in a group that also contained Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk.

“If you are already playing an historic Champions League season, with historic opponents like Inter and Real Madrid, then Liverpool would fit in seamlessly and thus continue to put this season in a special light,” Eberl said.

It’s always flattering to hear of sides that are desperate to face the Premier League champions.

One might imagine that Jurgen Klopp would not turn his nose up either at a potential return to his native Germany, against the 7th-placed Bundesliga club.

Though we’d fancy ourselves against anyone in the next round of the Champions League, of all the sides that have made it through to the last 16, Gladbach would quite probably be high up in the fans’ list in terms of preference.

Considering the history between the two clubs, with frequent meetings in the 70s, it would be a wonderful moment for both to be reunited once more after over 40 years apart.

We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for you, Max.

The post Gladbach Sporting Director hopes for historic Liverpool draw in last 16 appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Borussia Mönchengladbach’s director of sport Max Eberl has admitted his side will likely have to sell players this year to balance the books amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liverpool have been linked with two of their star players – Denis Zakaria and Marcus Thuram [Echo] – who were previously rated at a combined cost of €100m – but that will no doubt drop significantly if Gladbach need the money.

“We have no risk of bankruptcy or the like. Of course, we also have to try to make up for the deficits of millions,” Eberl told German outlet Express.

Zakaria is a holding midfielder who was enjoying a tremendous campaign before coronavirus curtailed the season.

Liverpool though have Fabinho in the anchoring role – and have absolutely no reason to replace him – especially given captain Jordan Henderson is an excellent alternative at the base of midfield.

Thuram plays as either a centre-forward or on the left, so theoretically, the son of legendary Frenchman Lillian could arrive and provide some support to the front-three in more than one position…

We haven’t seen enough of him to comment, but would prefer Timo Werner – who also plays either centrally or on the left but has 27 goals this term compared to Thuram’s 10.

The post Sporting director hints his club may have to sell Liverpool targets appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.