Bavarian Football Works

On Monday, Italian transfer expert Rudy Galetti issued a report indicating that Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovač was a target for both Manchester United and Chelsea FC.

However, those two clubs are not alone. Galetti followed up his initial report adding another interesting nugget — Tottenham Hotspur is also in the mix. Spurs coach Thomas Frank is sputtering and considered to be on shaky ground at the club, which has allowed Tottenham to rekindle an old flame:

Kovač, of course, made his bones at Eintracht Frankfurt where his teams played an exciting and thrilling style, which had a strong focus on capitalizing on quick counter-attacks. During his time at Bayern Munich, it has been speculated that Kovač was prevented from running the same kind of system or getting the kind of players he needed to play the way he wanted. In addition, Kovač almost immediately lost the locker room with #MiamiNights scandal.

After his dismissal at Bayern Munich, Kovač had a strong tenure at AS Monaco before being caught up in an internal power struggle at the executive level, which led to his exit. Kovač then had a disastrous run at Wolfsburg. At Borussia Dortmund, he has been a positive influence, instilling some toughness and discipline into the squad.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

Bayern Munich are reportedly preparing to pay as much as €100m for the ambitious potential transfer of Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes.

The Portugal international has been a star performer for Man Utd for many years now, proving himself to be by far the most successful signing the club has made in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Earlier today, a report from BBC Sport suggested that Fernandes would consider his future at the end of this season, with the 31-year-old’s preference being to stay in Europe.

Fernandes is now also being linked with Bayern Munich by Fichajes, who state that the Bundesliga giants could launch a big-money move for the former Sporting Lisbon man.

Marcus Rashford is on record saying he wants to stay at Barcelona, so he will be happy to hear the club reportedly want the same. Barça have a €30m clause to make the move permanent when his loan deal expires this summer, and according to The Athletic, there is interest in keeping him around. “Oh yeah, for sure,” Rashford told ESPN in October when asked if he wanted to remain at the Camp Nou. “I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game.”

Tottenham are planning to hold talks with Micky van de Ven over the offer of a new contract amid links with a potential move to Real Madrid.

That is according to former Tottenham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected at his previous clubs, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 24-year-old is seen as a crucial player for Spurs.

“There’s been a lot of talk about Van de Ven,” he told Football Insider.

“Real Madrid are definitely one to keep an eye on, they want new defenders and won’t be shy of looking in the Premier League if there is somebody they want.

“He has been spoken about in connection with them before, so maybe that’s something that could come up again at the end of the season.

“Tottenham don’t want that to happen, of course, they want to get him on a new contract.

“For me, he’s a little bit hot and cold in that he’ll be amazing one week and then you don’t see much of him the next, but there’s no doubt he’s an important player.

“From Spurs point of view, they don’t want to be losing any of their key players any time soon.

“So they’ll be sitting down with Van de Ven and attempting to extend his deal and maybe put off any interest there is in him, from Real Madrid or somebody else.”

Hamburger SV managed to make some real coups in the 2025 summer transfer window. Sure, Youssouf Poulsen has been a disappointment. But the loan for Fabio Vieira has been fairly good, while the permanent signing of Sambi Lokonga from Arsenal FC or under 1 million has turned out to be an absolute master stroke.

Still, the one transfer everybody is talking about is Luka Vušković. Already, he was seen as too big a star for the recently promoted Bundesliga club to sign due to his outstanding potential demonstrated in the Jupiler Pro League. Allegedly, they were even only in the running for the signing of the Croatian because his brother Mario Vušković is also at the club. Still, they got the loan signing over the line and were prepared to slowly and surely bed the 18-year-old in to the starting lineup.

Yet Vušković has played every single minute barring the first match day in the league. He has been Hamburg’s best defender. He has scored a scorpion kick. He has won the award for the Bundesliga’s most impressive player so far. By every metric, he has been outstanding.

But his club situation is still uncertain. Therefore, Bild’s report, as captured by @iMiaSanMia, that the youngster has been offered to the Bundesliga’s top dogs, Bayern Munich may not be that much of a surprise:

Tottenham Hotspur would be insane to consider selling him, so any offer would have clearly been made by Vušković‘s agent. But a transfer of any kind would hard to materialize, considering the youngster still has a contract that spans until 2030. Still, Bayern have been on the lookout for a center back on the back of Dayot Upamecano’s uncertain contract situation and a tendency to sell Kim Min-jae. Moreover, Vušković has all the physical and technical requirements of a Vincent Kompany defender. Signing the youngster seems impossible at the moment, which is why he is rightly no current priority. But if things at Tottenham do not go well, do not be surprised if Bayern were to lurk in the vicinity and pounce on any possibilities.

Welcome back to Bavarian Loan Works for the first edition of 2026. As the Bundesliga season starts up again we look at the three Bundesligists left, track some movement, and catch up on the leagues that have still played through the winter break. There are also a few leagues that did not come back as soon as the German Bundesliga. See who has played and when each loanee still on break will return to play.

FC Bayern Munich

There are nine players from on loan from the first team.

Germany – Bundesliga

There are three players on loan to the German Bundesliga: Alexander Nübel, Arijon Ibrahimovic, and Armando Sieb.

Alexander Nübel – VfB Stuttgart

Nübel started for Stuttgart in their return to Bundesliga play at Bayer Leverkusen. The road team got off to a hot start and gave Nübel four first half goals. That led to a 4-0 win at halftime. On the day he saved all three shots that came from normal play. The only shot he could not keep out of the back of the net was a penalty by Grimaldo. Stuttgart started off 2026 off with a great 4-1 win.

Stuttgart will return home to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday and Union Berlin on Sunday — both in league play.

Arijon Ibrahimović – 1. FC Heidenheim

Ibrahimović started for Heidenheim in their home match against FC Köln. He had three shots — two on goal and one off target — and created one chance for his teammates to shoot. His team was up two different times, including a 2-1 lead at halftime, but Köln leveled shortly after halftime. He was subbed off in the 60th minute with the match level at 2-2. Neither team would score and the match ended in a draw.

Heidenheim will be on the road twice this week. First against Sieb’s Mainz on Tuesday and then a trip to Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Armindo Sieb – 1. FSV Mainz 05

Sieb started 2026 on the bench as Mainz travelled to face Union Berlin. He came into the match in the 78th minute with Mainz up 2-1. He was unable to have an influence on the match in the 12 minutes he played with zero shots and no chances created. Unfortunately he saw Union get a late equalizer and the match ended 2-2.

Mainz will host Ibrahimovic and Heidenheim on Tuesday and then will be away to Köln on Saturday.

England – Premier League

There are two players on loan to the English Premier League: João Palhinha and Jonah Kusi-Asare,

João Palhinha – Tottenham

Although Spurs are still struggling, Palhinha is starting to get more time with Tottenham since December. He started both matches this week and played the full 90 minutes. On Wednesday, Spurs were at Bournemouth in league play. Bavarian Loan Works alum Mathys Tel scored first for Spurs but his goal was cancelled out by two Bournemouth goals before halftime. Palhinha scored a nice overhead kick in the 78th minute to level the match at 2-2. He had one other blocked shot on the day, but did not create any chances for his teammates. Unfortunately, Bournemouth scored a late winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Spurs fell 3-2.

Spurs hosted Aston Villa on Saturday in FA Cup play. Palhinha started again and played the full 90 minutes. He did not have a shot attempt until the 71st minute, at which time they were already down 2-1. He also had two chances created, but neither ended in a goal. Spurs could not find a goal to keep their FA Cup run alive and they flew out with a 2-1 home loss.

Spurs will host cross-town rivals, West Ham, on Saturday.

Jonah Kusi-Asare – Fulham

Kusi-Asare has played just 11 minutes over the last month until Saturday’s FA Cup match. Fulham hosted Championship side Middlesborough and Kusi-Asare started up top. He had one shot attempt which was on goal, but saved in the 14th minute. He did not create any chances for his teammates to shoot. He was subbed off in the 56th minute with his team down 1-0. Fulham equalized within five minutes and went on to find two more to advance with a 3-1 win.

Fulham travel to face Leeds United on Saturday.

England — Championship

Daniel Peretz is the only player on loan to England’s Championship.

Daniel Peretz – Southampton

Peretz forced a move out of the Bundesliga, something that he was vocal about since the beginning of the season when he was named second. He made his debut for Southampton on Saturday in an FA Cup fixture against Doncaster Rovers of the third division. His team went up 3-0 in the first half and Peretz recorded two saves to keep a clean sheet in the first half. Doncaster scored two goals to bring the score within one. He needed two saves in the 90th minute from a corner to secure the 3-2 win for his new team.

Southampton will host Hull City on Saturday.

Spain – La Liga

Bryan Zaragoza is the only player on loan to Spain’s La Liga.

Bryan Zaragoza – Celta Vigo

Zaragoza has played just twice since the last edition in December. His last appearance was last weekend, when he started at home against Valencia. He had one shot — on goal, from a tight angle — and created a chance for his teammates to shoot. He also completed 92% passes, misplaying just one pass. He was subbed off in the 67th minute with his team up 2-0. Celta Vigo went onto win 4-1.

Celta Vigo will travel to face Sevilla on Monday and then host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Switzerland – Super League

Lovro Zvonarek is the only player on loan from the first team to the Swiss Super League.

Lovro Zvonarek – Grasshopper

Grasshopper returns to play after the winter break on Sunday with a home match against Thun.

Germany – 2. Bundesliga

There are two players from the first team on loan to the 2. Bundesliga: Maurice Krattenmacher and Tarek Buchman.

Maurice Krattenmacher – Hertha BSC

Krattenmacher and Hertha will return to play on Saturday against Schalke 04.

Tarek Buchman – 1. FC Nürnberg

Nürnberg will return from break on Saturday with a home match against Elversberg. Buchman is not listed on the injury report as of now. Hopefully he can make his return from injury this weekend.

FC Bayern Munich II

There are seven players on loan from the second team.

Germany – 2. Bundesliga

There are two players on loan from the second team in the 2. Bundesliga: Noel Aseko and Paul Scholl.

Noel Aseko – Hannover 96

Hannover will be on the road against Kaiserslautern on Sunday.

Paul Scholl – Karlsruher SC

KSC will be on the road against Preussen Münster on Saturday.

Germany – 3. Liga

Max Schmitt is the only player on loan in the 3. Liga.

Max Schmitt – SSV Ulm 1846

Ulm will host Wehen Wiesbaden on Saturday in their return to play.

Germany – Regionalliga

There are two players on loan in the Regionalliga Südwest: Benedikt Wimmer and David Emmanuel.

The Regionalliga Southwest will return to play on the weekend of February 21.

Benedikt Wimmer – SV Sandhausen

David Emmanuel – Hessen Kassel

Switzerland – Super League

Johnathan Asp Jensen is the only player from the second league on loan to the Swiss Super League.

Johnathan Asp Jensen – Grasshopper

Grasshopper returns to play after the winter break on Sunday with a home match against Thun.

Austria – Bundesliga

Maximilian Hennig is the only player on loan to the Austrian Bundesliga.

Maximillian Hennig – TSV Hartberg

Hartberg will return to play on February 7.

Austria – 2. Liga

Mudaser Sedat is the only person on loan to Austria’s second league.

Mudaser Sedat – Amstetten

Amstetten will return to play on February 22.

FC Bayern Munich Frauen

There are currently no players on loan from the Frauen team.

🚨⚪️ Tottenham Hotspur have a clear internal plan at the moment to only decide on João #Palhinha’s future after the end of the season.

THFC have an option to buy in summer, set at €25m guaranteed. With potential add-ons through bonuses, the option can rise to up to €30m.

Under manager Thomas Frank, Tottenham have yet to find a clear sporting identity. Palhinha, valued for his defensive qualities, may not be a perfect fit for the dynamic, high-intensity system that Frank prefers. The Dane has doubts about whether Palhinha can play a key role in the team in the long term. The midfield partnership with Rodrigo Bentancur, in particular, is considered too defensive internally. Despite inconsistent form, Bentancur continues to enjoy the manager’s confidence, which further complicates Palhinha’s position.

Adding to the challenge is the intense competition in Spurs’ midfield. Young talents like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are pushing for more playing time, and Pape Matar Sarr could also play a role after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. Tottenham plans to nurture the development of these young players and is also considering signing another midfielder in January.

Another factor influencing Palhinha’s future is Spurs’ financial considerations. Although the transfer fee of around €30 million seems relatively moderate for an experienced Premier League player, Palhinha’s salary would place him among the highest earners in the squad. Tottenham are keen to control the club’s wage structure, which complicates the decision to make a permanent signing.

Bayern Munich have made an ‘informal enquiry’ for Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic after his impressive displays out on loan, according to reports.

The 18-year-old centre-back has been in good form while out on loan at Hamburger SV this season with Vuskovic scoring two goals in 15 appearances in all competitions.

Caught Offside claim that the Croatian youngster ‘has caught the eye with a series of composed and authoritative performances in Germany, prompting enquiries from the Bundesliga’s elite.’

The report adds: ‘Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig are believed to have gone a step further, making informal approaches to Tottenham Hotspur to explore the defender’s availability.

Real Madrid and top Premier League clubs have been scouting AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, who also has plenty more interest from other top clubs around Europe, according to Fabrizio Romano. Even so, he adds that a move isn’t likely to happen until the summer. AZ would not accept the €50 million that has been reported as the 19-year-old’s valuation, as the Eredevisie club has already turned down offers that would eventually reach €60m.

Speaking on Amazon Prime DE, Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck spoke about his ambition to win the Bundesliga. With no sign of a contract extension with BVB, do the centreback’s comments point to a move to Bayern Munich?

“My goal is to win a championship in Germany,” explained Schlotterbeck.

The German international went on to discuss missed opportunities during his time in the famous Yellow Black (Author’s Note: Please note we updated spelling from the original text) jerseys at Dortmund:

“We were close. The Champions League is very difficult to win; we were close there, too. I was also close in the DFB Cup. As a professional footballer, I’ve only won the U21 European Championship. I want to finally hold something in my hands.”

According to a recent report from Defensa Central, the club has flatly rejected a proposed swap deal from Juventus that involved Güler and their own rising star Kenan Yildiz. The reason behind this is the fact that Guler has become a key part of Xabi Alonso’s plans. Far from being a rotation option, the Turkish international has grown into one of the coach’s most trusted players and is now starting the majority of matches this season.

Juventus are among the clubs monitoring Guler closely, especially since they are going through a tricky period with regard to the contract renewal issues with Kenan Yildiz. Aware that Yildiz is highly rated at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Italian giants reportedly floated the idea of a player swap as a potential solution, an idea that, even if discussed informally, never truly stood a chance.

It is known that Guler is considered non-negotiable. The club see him as a cornerstone for both the present and the future, not a bargaining chip, regardless of the profile or potential of the player offered in return.

A recent report from Diario AS has indicated that Real Madrid are growing tired of chasing free agents.

Real Madrid believe the agents of some of the players with expiring contracts are trying to use the club and take advantage of their free agent status to market their players. This has happened in the past with Real Madrid, particularly during the pursuit of Alphonso Davies, where the player used his free agent status to earn a renewal at Bayern Munich.

Even Dayot Upamecano right now is using the same pattern. The Frenchman had been in talks with Real Madrid for quite some time, but is now close to signing a deal at Bayern.

That is why Real Madrid have adopted a stricter transfer strategy where the club will not engage in any activities, especially around players whose contracts expire in the summer. This is a massive shift in policy for Real Madrid, who were only chasing defenders with expiring contracts more than a few weeks ago.

Barcelona’s goalkeeping situation has taken another unexpected turn, with a recent report from SPORT revealing that Girona are actively pushing to sign Marc-Andre ter Stegen during the January transfer window.

In recent weeks, much of the speculation around Ter Stegen’s future had centred on Aston Villa.

The Premier League side were repeatedly linked with a move for the German goalkeeper, especially given the uncertainty surrounding his role at Barcelona.

However, the reality on the ground is very different, as Aston Villa are not currently in the market for a new goalkeeper.

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is Juventus’ dream signing, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport, although it would take a transfer request from the 25-year-old and a suitable offer for the Magpies to let him leave. The Bianconeri could aim for an initial loan with an obligation for him to sign permanently that would be based on them qualifying for the Champions League. They could also look to include striker Jonathan David in a deal if Newcastle are open to that possibility. Corriere dello Sport suggests that Juventus are pushing for Marseille midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg despite the French club not wanting him to leave and could look to sign Xaver Schlager when the midfielder’s contract at RB Leipzig expires in the summer.

Leeds United are holding internal talks over whether to make a concrete move to sign RB Leipzig defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu after learning of his potential availability, with sources rating the Frenchman’s chances of a move to Elland Road.

Leipzig are believed to be ready to loan the player out, though are opposed to a permanent deal for the former PSG prospect. That arrangement could also suit Leeds, who are still keeping a careful lid on their finances in January but would also be wary of spending big money on a player they could not necessarily guarantee regular first-team football to, either.

However, there is other interest in Chadaille Bitshiabu too, and we understand West Ham have also been made aware of his potential availability as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to strengthen his defensive options for the second half of the season.

Despite that, if Leeds do make a concrete move, they would be confident of winning the race for his signature. The Whites enjoy a strong relationship with the Red Bull group, who are a silent partner in the club and are their main shirt sponsors, and having also struck several transfer agreements across their group in recent times.

Indeed, Tyler Adams (Leipzig), Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Max Wober (all Salzburg) have made the switch in recent times. Meanwhile, the trusted Fabrizio Romano has taken to X to confirm that Chadaille Bitshiabu could depart the Red Bull Arena in the new year.

Tottenham Hotspur have been named as ‘one of the best-positioned teams’ to sign a top Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder who would deliver an immediate upgrade to Thomas Frank’s weak engine room.

The Spurs boss appears to go from game to game not actually knowing what his best midfield make-up is, constantly chopping and changing the likes of Bayern loanee Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall.

A fresh report from Spain claims that Spurs are ready to take advantage of a bust-up between Bayern and one of their top stars, Leon Goretzka. Spanish outlet Fichajes states Tottenham are ‘one of the best-positioned teams’ to sign Goretzka, although there are other English sides in the mix, namely Nottingham Forest and West Ham.

Fabrizio Romano has offered an update on Dušan Vlahovic’s situation, with the striker able to leave Juventus as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer. The 25-year-old has been the subject of interest from AC Milan but no agreement has been reached between the two parties yet. Bayern Munich made contact about signing the Serbia international in October but haven’t done so since, while Barcelona also made enquiries but nothing has progressed.

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are interested in signing the Bayern Munich defender, Sacha Boey.

The 25-year-old has struggled for regular opportunities at the German club, and he has been told that he can leave the club in January. The German outfit is willing to send him on loan if a permanent deal cannot be arranged. According to TEAMtalk, the player’s camp has already spoken to multiple clubs, including Newcastle and Crystal Palace.

Newcastle need more depth in the defensive unit, and Boey could prove to be a quality alternative to Kieran Trippier in the long-term. On the other hand, Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz has been linked with a move away from the club. He has been excellent for the Eagles, but they need an alternative to him. Boey could prove to be a useful acquisition for both teams.

The 25-year-old will be desperate to get his career back on track, and his hunger to succeed will be a bonus. Boey has been linked with West Ham as well.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen and Manchester City’s James Trafford amid growing concerns about current goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, reports TEAMtalk. Vicario, 29, is open to a return to Serie A and Spurs are in the market for a replacement. Barca are willing to accept offers to sign Ter Stegen but no direct contact have been made so far, while Spurs have already held exploratory discussions with City over Trafford, with the 23-year-old keen to get more game time.

Kenan Yildiz has rapidly emerged as one of the most talked-about young talents ahead of the winter transfer window, with Chelsea and Arsenal currently leading the Premier League interest while Juventus find themselves locked in increasingly delicate contract negotiations.

What began as routine renewal talks has now evolved into a high-stakes dilemma that could define Juventus’ short-term sporting and financial strategy.

The 20-year-old Turkish international has been in discussions with Juventus for several weeks over a new deal, but progress has stalled, sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside.

FC Bayern are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day operations. The club has banned the use of ChatGPT and has developed its own AI platform, which is already in use in various departments such as fan services and the legal department. FC Bayern employees are required to use this internal platform for work purposes.

Thomas Ehemann, Head of Digital Fan Experience at FC Bayern: “We have started blocking various AI platforms for our staff, such as ChatGPT. This is intended to make our employees use our own platform. And in addition, it’s all a private cloud. We thought there would be a bit more resistance [to the ban], but that hasn’t been the case. The employees are happy to have a flexible and simple solution”

Real Madrid winger Rodrygo would consider joining Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, according to TEAMtalk, with the 24-year-old aiming for more game time in the hope of earning a place in Brazil’s squad at the World Cup. The Premier League giants are all keeping an eye on his situation, but Los Blancos insist that Rodrygo is part of their plans so a January transfer would be difficult to complete and would cost around €80 million.

Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all keen on signing Eintracht Frankfurt left back Nathaniel Brown, according to Florian Plettenberg. Madrid in particular have sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action against Cologne and Atalanta, and the Germany international could be set to leave the Bundesliga in the summer of 2026 after what has been a breakout season. Brown won his first full international cap in October, and his crossing ability and attacking runs have earmarked him as one of the most exciting full backs in the German league. Eintracht are reported to be seeking a fee of around €60 million.

Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford is considering leaving the club after just five months, following the subsequent arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, according to The Daily Mail. Fellow City backup keeper Stefan Ortega is also contemplating his future, with both keen for more first-team action. Trafford, 23, arrived from Burnley for £27 million in the summer but hasn’t played a Premier League game since Donnarumma signed from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day. Trafford had hoped his move would help him land the England No. 1 jersey, but now his place in the squad is in jeopardy because of his lack of game time. Newcastle were linked previously and could be first in line for the former Burnley man when the transfer window opens.

What does Serge Gnabry do when he has a month off?

Gnabry: “That’s difficult. Too many things. Surfing in Hawaii. Take a course like that for three weeks. That would be a thought. Some other things that I can’t tell you. Maybe go to a monastery in Nepal.”

Arsenal are considering a move for versatile Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, according to The Mirror. The Gunners are looking for further attacking reinforcements and the 23-year-old could be available next summer before his contract runs out in 2027. Dortmund value the striker’s transfer at around €80 million after he racked up 28 goal contributions in his past 56 appearances, grabbing three goals and six assists so far in 2025-26. Adeyemi can play anywhere along the front line, with Chelsea and Manchester United also interested.