Football legend Lothar Matthäus, the most capped player for the German national team, has ignited fresh speculation surrounding Manchester City’s central defender, Josko Gvardiol, and a potential transfer to FC Bayern Munich. Matthäus indicated that Bayern has already initiated concrete steps towards securing the Croatian’s services.

Speaking on Sky during Bayern’s recent clash with 1. FC Cologne, he stated, « I have a player in mind, and I’ve heard they (Bayern) have already made their initial moves. An former Leipzig player, currently at Manchester City, a left-back/center-back, » before explicitly confirming Gvardiol as his target.

While Bayern currently boasts a strong and established central defensive pairing in Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano, a spot could open up this summer if Min-jae Kim, currently the third choice and frequently linked with a departure, were to leave the German champions. The key question remains whether Gvardiol would accept a rotational role behind Tah and Upamecano.

The 24-year-old defender has clearly expressed his ambition for regular first-team football, and his contract with Manchester City extends until 2028, which is likely to significantly inflate any potential transfer fee. It’s worth recalling that the Citizens paid €90 million to acquire him from RB Leipzig in 2023.

Gvardiol rose to international prominence at Leipzig, a direct competitor of Bayern, where he played 87 matches for the German club between 2021 and 2023. At City, he is generally a starter, but he experienced a period on the sidelines from early January to early May due to a tibia fracture. He only made his return this week in their 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace.

Another considerable advantage in Bayern’s eyes is his left-footedness and his versatility to comfortably operate at left-back, unlike Tah and Upamecano.

Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Christoph Freund, has officially confirmed that goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, currently on loan at VfB Stuttgart until the end of June, does not feature in the Bavarian club’s long-term strategy.

Following Bayern’s dominant 5-1 victory over 1. FC Cologne on the final Bundesliga matchday, Freund revealed, « We have communicated with his representatives, and Alex is fully aware of our plans. » With Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich both extending their contracts for another year, and Jonas Urbig identified as Neuer’s eventual successor, Freund clarified the club’s goalkeeping hierarchy: « Our intention is to begin next season with this established trio of keepers. »

Under contract with Bayern until 2030, the 29-year-old goalkeeper is not expected to return to the Säbener Straße. VfB Stuttgart is keen to sign him permanently but currently lacks the necessary financial resources. Thus, the future of the three-time German international remains uncertain.

Recruited in 2020 from FC Schalke 04, Nübel has only made four official appearances for FCB. He spent loan spells at AS Monaco from 2021 to 2023, followed by his current stint at Stuttgart since 2023.

Harry Kane has once again etched his name into the Bundesliga history books.

The English international concluded the 2025-2026 campaign as the league’s top scorer, netting an impressive 36 goals – a feat he has now achieved for three consecutive seasons. Since his arrival at FC Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, Kane has become the first player ever to claim the top scorer title in each of his initial three Bundesliga seasons. Furthermore, he stands alone as the only player to surpass 25 goals in each of his first three German top-flight campaigns.

With 36 goals in 2023/24 and 26 the season prior, the 32-year-old’s claim to the Golden Boot was long assured, culminating in a hat-trick during Saturday’s 5-1 triumph over Cologne to reach his final tally.