This article was originally published in Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive exclusive articles from Fabrizio Romano via email before they are published on caughtoffside.com, please sign up for the service at thedailybriefing.io.
It has been a challenging season for Bayern, especially in the past few days as they suffered their third consecutive defeat, losing 3-2 to Bochum last night. However, Bayern’s current stance is clear: they intend to continue with Thomas Tuchel as their manager. The club’s internal discussions have led to this decision, and we will see how the conversations progress.
In my opinion, Bayern has faced multiple issues this season, not solely related to the manager. For example, they needed to sign a new midfielder in January, and Joao Palhinha from Fulham would have been an ideal choice. Unfortunately, they did not bring in another player for that position.
Tuchel has expressed his belief that he and his coaching staff can turn things around, so we will have to wait and see what happens. For now, Bayern is not considering a managerial change and plans to stick with Tuchel.
We are now entering a crucial period in the Kylian Mbappe saga. It is already known that he has informed Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi of his intention to leave, and as I have always mentioned, Al-Khelaifi was the first person to be informed.
Mbappe has also told his teammates before a training session that he will be departing the club, although he has not revealed his future destination yet. From what I have heard, there is a clear feeling in both the Real Madrid and PSG dressing rooms that Mbappe will join Real Madrid this summer after a lengthy saga.
The Real Madrid board also strongly believes that everything is in place for the transfer to happen. They sent a formal contract proposal to Mbappe, his mother, his camp, his lawyers, and the player himself in January. Now, they must proceed with the signing process, which is a crucial stage.
I want to clarify that Mbappe’s salary at Real Madrid will be much lower than the one proposed in 2022, and the signing-on fee will also be reduced. It is still a significant amount of money, but not at the same level.
In the past 24 hours, Mbappe has informed Al-Khelaifi that he does not want any new offers from PSG. He considers this chapter closed and has no interest in discussing a new contract or considering other proposals. His decision to leave is final, and there will be no change of mind. Consequently, PSG is also focusing on the future and not working on a new contract for Mbappe.
I have been told that Mbappe and Florentino Perez have a strong relationship. In May 2022, Mbappe personally called Perez to inform him that he would decline Real Madrid’s proposal and sign a new contract with PSG. This was a surprise to the football world and Perez, who had been waiting for a positive response.
Usually, in such situations, a family member or intermediary communicates the decision, but Mbappe directly called Perez to apologize for what happened and explain his choice to stay at PSG. Perez was not pleased with the situation but appreciated Mbappe’s classy act, leading those close to him to believe that the possibility of signing Mbappe was not over. Perez is now actively involved in the Mbappe saga and taking crucial steps towards completing the transfer.
The relationship between Mbappe and Perez is of great importance, and the general feeling in the industry is that Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid is now in its final stages.
As mentioned earlier, PSG is now preparing for the future without Mbappe, but it is still unclear how exactly their plans will unfold. There will undoubtedly be numerous rumors and links to high-profile names.
One player who has frequently been linked with PSG is Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, and this is understandable as he is a fantastic player. We also know that PSG and Barcelona were interested in signing Bernardo last summer. However, in the end, Manchester City offered him a new contract because he is a key player for Pep Guardiola.
As I mentioned in a previous article, PSG has not yet determined their top targets for the summer. While Bernardo is still highly regarded, it is too early to say whether they will make a strong push for the Portuguese playmaker again or if their priorities will change.
Darwin Nunez continued his impressive form for Liverpool over the weekend, scoring a beautifully-executed lob in the victory against Brentford. He is starting to showcase his best abilities for the Reds after a challenging start.
I believe Nunez deserves credit because he faced heavy criticism from fans and pundits at times. However, it is a natural process for a young player to take time to adapt to a new life, city, and club. It is only human to require some adjustment period. Nunez is a talented striker with significant potential for improvement.
Liverpool is delighted with his recent progress, and if he maintains this level of performance, he can become a key player in the title race this season.
Regarding Pedro Neto, despite what Wolves manager Gary O’Neil said, I believe it will be extremely difficult to retain him at Wolves next summer. He is highly sought after by many clubs and could potentially move to a top-tier club in the Premier League.
Kobbie Mainoo, the talented Manchester United youngster, continues to impress. It is worth noting that he was never considered for a loan move as Manchester United always intended to involve him with the first team. Making him feel important from the beginning was crucial for the club.
As for Alexander Isak, despite reports of Chelsea’s interest and Newcastle’s need to sell due to FFP, I currently have no information to report about his situation. There have been no contacts or talks, and the situation is very quiet. It is still early, so we will have to wait and see if there are any developments regarding Isak’s future in the summer.
According to the Source caughtoffside.com