Are Barcelona set to sell the wrong man? Why are Real Madrid trying to keep one of their worst performing players? And could Bayern Munich change their entire setup by making a big transfer in summer 2024?
Here are the latest transfer rumors and news around European football’s three most prestigious clubs.
Bayern Munich could move to a 4-4-2 with Guirassy, Kane
Per BILD, the only way Bayern Munich can follow through on their interest in Serhou Guirassy and sign the Stuttgart breakout star is to change their entire formation to a two-striker system so that he can start next to Harry Kane.
Understandably, Guirassy is uninterested in playing second fiddle to anyone, as he is also one of the most prolific goal-scorers in European football right now with 17 goals in 12 Bundesliga starts and 3 additional substitute appearances.
An underrated all-around striker, Guirassy is also averaging a whopping 1.9 fouls drawn per game and 1.7 key passes per match, playing a key role in Stuttgart’s surprise status as Champions League contenders.
Guirassy can score goals, win fouls, and create chances. He is legitimately playing like a world-class striker in 2023/24, which is why Bayern and so many other prestigious clubs around European football are interested.
Moving entirely to a two-striker system may not be the worst idea in the world, though Bayern have managerial and midfield question marks that make thinking about a system-wide change difficult.
Guirrassy is great and a potential transfer bargain with a release clause under 20 million euros, but Bayern would have to thoroughly consider the merits of a change like this. Still, a duo of Kane and Guirassy is definitely tantalizing.
Real Madrid still trying to keep Ferland Mendy
Surprisingly, MARCA’s José Félix Díaz reports that Real Madrid have been submitting contract renewal offers to Ferland Mendy, but, perhaps more surprisingly, the French left back has declined them, seeing them as unsatisfactory.
Many Madrdistas are beyond ready to see the club move on from Mendy, whose offensive ineptitude has taken him out of the lineup over the past couple of seasons.
Los Merengues hoped Fran García would be a sure-fire upgrade over Mendy after thoroughly outperforming him in LaLIga while playing for Rayo Vallecano, but that unfortunately has not been the case so far in 2023/24.
Alphonso Davies is Juni Calafat’s dream option, while a reunion with Miguel Gutiérrez of Girona is also very much in the cards for the Merengue club.
So you would think that Real Madrid have no room to even entire Mendy, whose 50 million euro price tag in 2019 has not been met. At this point, Real would be fortunate to get even half that for Mendy. He is clearly not rated by other top clubs.
Barcelona want to sell Jules Koundé
Mundo Deportivo reports that with so many bodies at the center back position, Barcelona are ready to sacrifice one of their players, and former Sevilla man Jules Koundé seems to be the odd man out.
It seems like all three of Barcelona’s star center backs have been linked with a move outside. Ronald Araújo is being hounded by Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich, and even Andreas Christensen has been mired in transfer rumors.
All three of these central defenders are top players and were key reasons for Barcelona winning the title quite handily over Real Madrid in the 2022/23 season.
Christensen was a bargain transfer as a free agent, Koundé has been worth the hype, and Araújo is the most talented of the three in terms of his raw defensive skill set.
Keeping all three should be a priority for Barcelona, given the importance of having great center backs. Barça also have LaLiga veteran Iñigo Martínez, but these three younger CBs are even more crucial to the team.
Koundé is an intelligent, versatile defender who even shone as a right back in the 2022/23 campaign. Calm and accurate with his passing, Koundé is still just 25. He’s only going to get even better from here.
Former editor of The Real Champs and Old Juve, covering Real Madrid and Juventus
