Liverpool rivals roundup: Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane has taken a stand on Bayern Munich’s Julian Nagelsmann deal, while a Man United player is now set to leave.
International matches are almost over in March which means we are getting closer and closer to a return to club play and that means we are going back to Liverpool and playing a game of football again.
Liverpool last played on March 15 when they left the Champions League in rather soft fashion in the Round of 16 against Real Madrid. Since then, the news of the Reds has become very discreet. Nothing extraordinary happened, days and weeks pass.
But there are things happening at other clubs, Liverpool’s domestic and European rivals. In this regard, the game never sleeps. If one club is silent, another club probably isn’t.
Here, Liverpool.com takes a look at other big teams in the Premier League and across Europe for an overview of news happening elsewhere, including a report on the Bayern Munich split leading to the departure of managed Julian Nagelsmann, and on the Manchester United goalkeeper. who openly confessed his future with the Red Devils.
Bayern locker room shared because of Nagelsmann
Bayern Munich surprised many when they sacked manager Julian Nagelsmann last week, despite the German giants losing just three league games all season. The 35-year-old is regarded as one of the smartest coaches in the game, but the sword fell on him last week. According to Goal, the Bayern dressing room was divided over the former RB Leipzig manager, with some wanting him to stay and others wanting him to leave.
Ex-Liverpool striker Sadio Mane was reportedly in the latter camp and wanted Nagelsmann replaced. Manchester City full-back João Cancelo was also loaned out in the second pitch. Nagelsmann has been replaced by former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and it will be interesting to see if Tuchel can assemble a shared dressing room.
Liverpool.com says: Nagelsmann’s dismissal seemed a bit harsh given Bayern are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and second in the Bundesliga by a point. But when the dressing room is divided between one manager, it becomes very difficult to keep the team on track and all fighting for the same goals. It remains to be seen whether Tuchel is the man to restore harmony to the team.
The United goalkeeper thinks about the future
Man United goalkeeper Dean Henderson on loan is unlikely to have a future at Old Trafford, according to a report.
Henderson, who is on loan from United to Nottingham Forest this season, is unlikely to play for the club again. So says Football Insider’s Peter O’Rourke, who said: “The on-loan Nottingham Forest goalkeeper has accepted that a return to Man United is now extremely unlikely and the 26-year-old is pushing for a permanent move this summer.
“Henderson is unwilling to play second fiddle and wants a new club willing to give him regular minutes in the first team so he can return to the England squad.”
Henderson made just five appearances for United in all competitions last season and admitted in a talkSPORT interview last summer that he was “furious” after United made good on their promise to make him the club’s No. 1
Liverpool.com says: The life of a second-choice goalkeeper is a strange life, and Henderson probably knows he won’t be taking over from David de Gea any time soon, so a permanent transfer could be the best solution for all involved.
Also.
‘It’s time for me to go,’ says Liverpool-linked midfielder about to leave current club.
Rumor has it a Liverpool transfer target has publicly expressed in on Enzo Le Fee, who recently made a stark statement about his future plans, according to TEAMtalk.
“It’s time for me to leave,” the Lorient midfielder told Telegram. I have a special bond with this club [where he trained and signed his first professional contract], which is why I wanted to extend my contract at the start of the season.
“I waited until December for a contract offer from FC Lorient.” She never arrived. I don’t expect anything more from the club and I won’t extend it any longer.
“I intend to leave this summer so that my transfer brings money to FC Lorient. Otherwise I can sign up anywhere next winter within six months of the end of my contract.”
If Jurgen Klopp is looking for a cheap and versatile midfielder this summer, Le Fee could be a good option.
The Reds have been linked with big moves for Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice to bolster their midfield options, but with a potentially nine-figure fee the Lorient man would be a profitable option.
Football transfers value him at €14.3m (£12.6m) and while the Ligue 1 club may be asking for more, it looks like a very achievable target.
The 23-year-old is usually used as a central midfielder but can also be used as a number 10 just behind the attacking line. He has a respectable five goals and five assists in 29 appearances for Les Merlus this season (Transfermarkt).
Indeed, FBref named Bellingham the second-most stylistically similar player to Le Fee, ranking favorably among his peers in the top five European leagues on a number of traits.
He ranks in the top 3% of all players for successful catches, top 5% for tackles, top 6% for shot-creating plays, and top 11% for assists.
The Dortmund star will no doubt be Liverpool’s top priority when it comes to midfield goals this summer, but Le Fee could be a much cheaper option which he has indicated he wants to move on to.