Jurgen Klopp will not sign a further contract extension so early into his latest agreement with Liverpool, Christian Falk has confirmed.

The 56-year-old has not planned on committing his future to Anfield beyond the summer of 2026, as things currently stand.

“A reported contract offer in the works for Jurgen Klopp is not a big topic at the moment. It’s not Klopp’s plan – it’s too early for that,” the reputed journalist wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“I don’t think Liverpool have pressured him on this. It was surprising for everyone that Jurgen signed his last contract so early, so I don’t think this will be discussed until he’s closer to the end of his current terms.

“You see what is happening in Germany with the national team… I think this is a big target for his future, so that’s why he won’t sign a new contract so early.”

The German tactician has led the club since the 2015/16 season, guiding the Reds to a Premier League title and a Champions League trophy among a host of other honours.

MORE: Newcastle ‘on the table’ for 16-goal Bundesliga whirlwind with £15m release clause

Still plenty of time for Klopp

There’s a good few years left before Liverpool fans need to start panicking over Klopp’s future in Merseyside.

The big question on many a supporter’s lips in Germany, however, is at which point will the former Dortmund head coach not be able to resist the lure of the national team.

Julian Nagelsmann was recently appointed as Hansi Flick’s successor following a poor World Cup campaign.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the ex-Bayern boss has the credentials to make a success of his time at the helm of Die Mannschaft.

The post Christian Falk: Why Jurgen Klopp won’t sign a new Liverpool contract just yet appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool may have the upper hand in any negotiations for Leroy Sane this summer.

Christian Falk reported that the German international is opposed to a potential return to Manchester City amid alleged interest from their league rivals.

“The big question around Leroy has always been about his mentality. This was a big discussion with Pep Guardiola,” the German journalist wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“Speaking of which, there were rumours around Manchester City also being interested in the player – I heard this was an option, but I also heard that Sane doesn’t want to go back there.

“Jurgen Klopp is a coach who can get his players to buy into the work rate you need at Liverpool. This would be an intelligent move for Liverpool to get Sane, as he has everything; if you can add a working mentality to this (which Jurgen Klopp can perhaps give him), he would be perfect for Liverpool.

“Leroy Sane made a huge development at Bayern Munich regarding his work rate in recent years, tracking back in addition to his offensive output. Now you see why he’s so good now, as he’s also doing this job.”

This comes amid reports of ongoing Saudi interest in Mo Salah following a failed attempt to land the No.11’s signature in the prior summer transfer window.

READ MORE: Christian Falk: Harry Kane’s potential return to Tottenham clarified amid ‘matching right’

Could Liverpool really let their record-breaking man go?

It seems unfathomable that Jurgen Klopp’s side would even consider parting ways with a player that has brought a fanbase so much joy since his arrival in 2017.

The record-breaking wide man’s current terms are nonetheless set to expire in 2025, which raises serious questions over his club’s intentions regarding a potential extension.

Liverpool could, one imagine, secure some serious cash for the 31-year-old next year, which would be pumped back into the squad.

That said, it’s hard to imagine any player, even Bayern’s Sane, being capable of filling his boots at Anfield.

The post Exclusive: Man City transfer interest likely to be rebuffed as Liverpool gain upper hand appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Harry Kane does not have any intention of cutting his stay in Munich short, Christian Falk reports.

Tottenham are understood to maintain a right of first refusal (‘a matching right’) should the England international depart the club in future.

“Harry Kane is feeling very happy in Munich, he’s found his house and will be doing much better when his family is with him,” the BILD reporter wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“His needs are being fulfilled, everyone admires him, his teammates love him because of his behaviour. He’s doing so well in the team.

“There is, as I’ve previously mentioned, a ‘matching right’, which allows Tottenham the right of first refusal should Kane move away from Munich at some point in the future. However, I don’t think there’s a chance at the moment of an early exit from Munich, as he’s only at the beginning of his career at Bayern.

“He wants to win titles at Munich. For him, it’s a big move to leave Tottenham and England but now he’s done it he’s aware of the many advantages that are available to him. He certainly has a bit more freedom when he’s out of the house; the people of Munich are very respectful and he can a little bit more easily.

“He’s not as central in the focus as he was in England. I don’t think there are any thoughts on his end of leaving Bayern Munich in the next few years.”

The former Spurs hitman is enjoying a superb debut season in German football, registering 28 goal contributions in 16 games (across all competitions).

‘Soft spot’ or no for the London-based outfit (as the 30-year-old admitted in comments relayed by the Mirror), it’s difficult to imagine Kane calling time on his Allianz Arena career any time soon.

The goal, as ever, will be to secure major titles and there’s certainly every chance of the former Premier League golden boot winner doing so in his opening season.

The Bavarians have already topped their Champions League group with two games to spare and have to be considered serious contenders for European glory following the arrival of a world-class striker.

It remains to be seen whether Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen outfit can maintain their current form, though you can be sure Bayern will keep the pressure on throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

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Liverpool may find themselves struggling to find an elite option to succeed Mo Salah next season should the Egyptian part ways in the summer.

Christian Falk reported that, despite links with Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane, the German is particularly well-settled in Bavaria. On top of that, he would otherwise only consider the more densely populated cities across Europe for a move.

“More bad news for Liverpool: The Reds are rumoured to be eyeing Leroy Sané as Mohamed Salah’s successor,” BILD’s head of football wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“However, I have heard that Sané’s family have finally settled in Munich and are now very happy in the city.

“A move to Liverpool seems difficult to imagine at the moment; the family would be more tempted by the metropolises of London, Madrid and Barcelona.

“However, an extension at FC Bayern currently seems the most likely option.”

This comes amid reported interest from the Saudi Arabian top-flight following what was an unsuccessful attempt to inspire an exit.

Will Liverpool even want to sell Salah in 2024?

It’s a question worth posing given how both player and club seem to still be mutually benefitting from their relationship.

The 31-year-old (set to turn 32 next year) has already racked up an impressive 14 goal contributions in as many games (across all competitions) for Jurgen Klopp’s men in the 2023/24 campaign.

It begs a further question: are Salah’s best days at Anfield truly behind him?

With that in mind, it’s difficult to imagine that there won’t be those at L4 championing the prospect of a contract extension for one of the most valuable assets in world football.

The post ‘Bad news for Liverpool’: Transfer insider issues hammer blow over Mo Salah replacement appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool will have some significant hurdles to overcome if they wish to steal highly-rated youngster Jamal Musiala away from Bavaria in future.

One such hurdle Christian Falk reported on, however, could offer the Reds something of an advantage if they were to swoop in early on this matter – specifically, the player’s wage demands.

“Liverpool’s German coach, Jürgen Klopp, and sports director, Jörg Schmadtke, are once again eyeing the Bundesliga – and could really annoy FC Bayern over three personalities!” the German journalist wrote in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“The most important: Liverpool are very interested in Jamal Musiala. After Jude Bellingham, the Reds don’t want to miss out on the next talent from the Bundesliga originally trained in England.

“Liverpool are hopeful in light of their awareness of Musiala’s agents having decided not to hold talks about a new contract with Bayern this season, with his current terms running until 2026.

“Musiala’s side would first like a commitment from the club that ensures he has a permanent place in the first team in the future. In addition, he is by no means one of the top earners at €8m. His salary would probably have to be at least doubled.”

With a contract not due to expire until 2026, of course, just merely having the means of compensating the 20-year-old will only get you so far, and it’s fair to say that the Bundesliga giants will not be keen on the idea of letting a top talent leave on the cheap.

What kind of price can Liverpool expect?

If €80-100m [£69.8-87.3m] is the rough ballpark potential suitors would need to engage with to potentially land Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz in the summer, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Liverpool may need to stump up a similar range of cash.

It’s worth bearing in mind that Jurgen Klopp’s men have already stocked up their midfield significantly over the course of the summer and appear especially keen on further bolstering it in the upcoming window with a holding midfielder.

Still, the promise of landing a ‘world-class’ (in the eyes of Julian Nagelsmann, as relayed by the Bundesliga’s official website) talent after falling short in the race for Jude Bellingham last summer could prove far too tempting to ignore. Especially if their finances can meet the demands of both player and club.

The post Liverpool could steal ‘world-class’ player from Germany by doubling his salary – opinion appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United were reportedly set to target three big names in the transfer market if the takeover bid by Sheikh Jassim had been successful.

The Red Devils now look set to see British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe launch a bid for a 25% stake in the club, as reported by Sky Sports and others, but Qatari ownership would really have been a game-changer for the Premier League giants.

As reported by Christian Falk earlier in the year, Man Utd would have been in the market for French superstar trio Kylian Mbappe, Kingsley Coman and Eduardo Camavinga had the Sheikh Jassim takeover gone through…

The Qatari’s Sheikh Jassim Group want to go for Kingsley Coman, Camavinga and Kylian Mbappé, if their takeover of @ManUtd is successful

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) May 3, 2023

Mbappe is one of the finest players of his generation and it would have been a joy to see him coming to English football, but that perhaps now seems unlikely.

The France international will surely want to go to a more successful project if he leaves PSG at the end of this season, when his contract will be up.

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United are not the force they once were, and it would quite likely have taken big spending from Sheikh Jassim to convince Mbappe that the team could be heading in the right direction again.

Coman and Camavinga are two other elite talents who could surely have made an impact at Old Trafford, but who also perhaps now seem out of reach.

The post Man Utd were targeting Kylian Mbappe and two other world class transfers under Sheikh Jassim appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Christian Falk has revealed that Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier has ‘definitely’ been added to Liverpool’s transfer shortlist.

The German is already garnering interest from across the Premier League, however, with both Brentford and Merseyside rivals Everton said to hold ‘concrete’ interest in the rapid attacker.

“Another name on Liverpool’s list is Maximilian Beier of Hoffenheim – I heard he’s definitely on the list, as he brings something that’s very interesting for Liverpool!” the BILD journalist wrote in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“His high speed this season was 35.45kmph. It’s also really good for Germany; he’s the second-fastest German player behind Leroy Sane. His contract at Hoffenheim runs until 2025 and I heard he has a release clause; he’ll be a little bit more expensive for English clubs but for German clubs he’ll only cost €20m. So you see, Liverpool are looking around at the Bundesliga again.”

Falk went on to add: “He’s not very expensive, which would fit into Liverpool’s business model. Keep in mind, though, that Brentford and Everton’s interest in the player is concrete.”

The Reds could find themselves in need of some fresh blood in the forward line should they look to offload Mo Salah next summer.

MORE: Clubs warned over Lois Openda interest as Falk drops release clause truth

The Egyptian King has registered an impressive eight goal contributions in nine games this term, which raises the question as to whether Liverpool could justify parting ways even with only a year set to remain on his contract come the summer of 2024.

One might reasonably imagine that discussions would have to take place over a possible extension of sorts, though that in itself would represent an out-of-character gamble on the club’s part with a then 32-year-old.

The question is, which will last longer: the Saudi Pro League bubble or the peak of Salah’s footballing powers?

The post ‘I heard’ – German striker ‘definitely’ on Liverpool’s transfer list; Brentford & Everton want him appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Lois Openda looks a player destined to attract interest from Europe’s elite outfits in future amid a terrific start to life in Leipzig.

Christian Falk warned, however, that any interested suitor would have to pay ‘a bit higher’ than the €80m release clause reported by other outlets.

“Leipzig are a little relaxed at the moment, as next summer there’s no active release clause for Lois Openda.

“It begins in 2025 and I heard it’s a bit higher than the €80m that has been reported elsewhere.

“I’m sure that clubs like Liverpool will be keeping an eye on him. You’ve already seen with Dominik Szoboszlai that they’ve had a mostly positive experience with RB Leipzig players.

“It’s also worth noting the similarity in style between the two clubs, which is obviously of benefit to Liverpool.”

The Belgian has enjoyed a productive start to the campaign for Die Rotten Bullen, amassing seven goal contributions in 10 games (at a rate of one goal or assist every 99.42 minutes).

MORE: Christian Falk: Brighton eye German medal-winner who could cost as little as £17.2m

Whilst the prospect of Liverpool adding yet another mouthwateringly exciting talent to their roster, courtesy of the talent factory at RB Leipzig, would surely be appealing to Jurgen Klopp, one might imagine they’re satisfied enough with their central forward options.

Should Gabriel Jesus’ injury concerns remain a prominent factor for Mikel Arteta’s men or Manchester City’s Erling Haaland be snapped up by Real Madrid, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising to witness either outfit turn their gazes toward the German top-flight.

The post Clubs warned over Lois Openda interest as Falk drops release clause truth appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Brighton may have already set their sights on the next big thing in the footballing sphere, with Christian Falk reporting the club’s interest in Assan Ouedraogo.

The Schalke teenager secured third place in the Fritz Walter Medal award U-17 category, beating beaten out to gold by Borussia Dortmund’s Paris Brunner and silver by FC Barcelona’s Noah Darvich.

“Brighton are interested in Assan Ouedraogo (17) of Schalke. He was the winner of the bronze Fritz Walter Medal,” the German reporter shared in his exclusive column with CaughtOffside.

“He’s played eight times in Bundesliga 2, registering one goal.

“Brighton are watching him and they know he has a contract that will switch into a professional contract when he turns 18 in May that will be until 2027.

“If the contract is agreed, a release clause of €20m kicks in in 2024. It will be an interesting option for England.”

The Fritz Walter Medal has been awarded to a handful of top talents over the years that Premier League fans will no doubt be more than aware of, including former Chelsea man (and now Arsenal star) Kai Havertz.

It’s been quite a while since a Schalke player made the top three, however, with Max Meyer the German side’s last top three entry (U-19s category) for the award.

Given the Seagulls’ propensity for unearthing overlooked gems on the cheap and transforming them into world-class (or thereabouts) talents, Ouedraogo may very well be one for Europe’s elite to keep a close eye on.

Could the teenager follow in the footsteps of Moises Caicedo and Evan Ferguson? Only time will tell in that regard.

The post Christian Falk: Brighton eye German medal-winner who could cost as little as £17.2m appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Reports suggesting that Harry Kane’s family do not wish to join him in Germany are completely wide of the mark, Christian Falk exclusively revealed.

A search for a house in the country is ongoing and ‘is the only reason’ why they haven’t joined the England international in Munich just yet.

“I heard one of the problems with the Harry Kane transfer came in the form of a very big offer from Al-Hilal – $100m net in wages in Saudi Arabia. Al-Hilal tried to get him before they tried to sign Neymar, so Kane was the club’s No.1 target,” the BILD journalist wrote in his Fact Files column for CaughtOffside.

“They talked to the family and showed Harry the offer, but the latter said ‘no’, rejecting the chance to follow his international colleague Jordan Henderson to the Middle East, as it meant he wouldn’t play in the Champions League and could also harm his prospects with the England national team ahead of the European Championship in 2024.

“It was also a very attractive option for Tottenham. I heard they could have earned much more than the €100m PSG got from Al-Hilal for Neymar.

“There was a Daily Mail story I read this week that claimed Harry Kane’s family wanted to stay permanently in England as opposed to moving to Munich. This is not true. I heard they’re still searching for a house, which is the only reason why they’re not already here. As soon as they have a house, they want to join Harry and be together as a family again here in Munich.”

The former Tottenham hitman has been in scintillating form for Thomas Tuchel’s men, amassing seven goal contributions in six games and playing a starring role in a 4-3 win over Manchester United.

One can only imagine the heights the 30-year-old will hit once he’s 100% settled in his new surroundings with his loved ones at his side.

At any rate, there can be no question that he is otherwise fully committed to the footballing project at Bayern Munich having rejected a mammoth contract offer from the Saudi Pro League this summer.

Amid high-profile departures to the Middle East of the likes of Neymar and Ruben Neves, one might imagine it’s refreshing for the footballing community to witness players like Kane favouring playing the sport at the highest conceivable level as opposed to taking a final, major payday.

The post Exclusive: ‘I heard’ – Report about Harry Kane’s family completely false amid Saudi $100m question appeared first on CaughtOffside.