Weekend Warm-up: Bayern Munich still keeping a close eye on Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz; Manchester Unite…

One name that we have not seen linked to Bayern Munich in quite a while is Bayer Leverkusen ace and Germany international Florian Wirtz.

That streak of inactivity recently came to an end.

According to Sport1’s Kerry Hau (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Bayern Munich has not exactly forgotten about Wirtz or crossed him off its list of potential transfers. In fact, it is quite the contrary.

As it turns out Bayern Munich is very much contemplating how it might look if Wirtz and Jamal Musiala played together. After all, it does seem like that will be a happening sooner rather than later for the German national team anyway:

Bayern are still following Florian Wirtz’s situation very closely. The club’s scouts are watching how he’s performing after his injury. Nevertheless, Wirtz is still not an option for now – the earliest would be in summer 2024. Bayern are aware Wirtz and Musiala will be the future of the German national team offensively, and that could be replicated at club level.

If Bayern Munich is truly contemplating a move for Wirtz in 2024, the big splash some fans are expecting this summer might not be in play. Sure, Bayern Munich needs a striker, but there is not a dire need for any other position on the roster. Could the Bavarians be seeking to make one major move, but not exactly break the bank at several positions? Perhaps.

Right now, the club is most closely linked to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, but the Frenchman is also drawing interest from Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid…and Paris Saint-Germain. PSG star Kylian Mbappe is reportedly campaigning to bring in his countryman — and one thing we know about Mbappe with PSG is that he is going to get what he wants.

So, where does that leave Bayern Munich now that the club has already exited the sweepstakes for Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Werder Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug, and Juventus’ Dušan Vlahović?

Well, FC Barcelona could make Robert Lewandowski expendable as one nitwit has theorized, but maybe there is more than meets the eye to some of the recent stories that have been released.

What if…Bayern Munich is putting smokescreen out there? What if…the plan is is going to mirror what the club did last summer with Bayern Munich’s “out of nowhere” acquisition of Matthijs de Ligt?

I am starting to lean that way; a player who the club has liked at one point, but is not going to be on their radar (for one reason or another) when the summer transfer window opens. Vlahović would seem to fit that bill.

Anyway, back to Wirtz. There is one potential obstacle for those of you who really want to see Wirtz and Musiala working together for club and country — the development of Bayern Munich youngsters Paul Wanner and Arijon Ibrahimović, as Hau points out:

It also depends on how the likes of Paul Wanner and Arijon Ibrahimović will develop – both considered big talents.

There is no certainty (as much as just about everyone wants to see it) that either player will get anywhere near the requisite playing time to actually prove to Bayern Munich they are ready to be regulars on the first team.

To do that, a coach will actually have to call their respective numbers — something that neither Julian Nagelsmann, nor Thomas Tuchel has been willing to do consistently. Instead, one or both players could be loaned away, which has not yielded great results of late fo the Bavarians.

How close is Wirtz-to-Bayern Munich to happening? It is not imminent by any means, but things do appear to be lining up for the two sides to forge a partnership in the summer of 2024.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 2, Episode 43 (Bavarian Football Works)

It has been another crazy week for Bayern Munich as rumors are flying everywhere and fans are generally focused on next season while the 2022/23 squad is embroiled in a title chase.

These are clearly crazy times and that is exactly why Bavarian Podcast Works is here — to help sort through the mess like Luke Skywalker in that trash compactor during Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

Per the norm, there is a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it:

The latest Sadio Mane drama.
How Lionel Messi throwing a grenade into his relationship with Paris Saint-Germain could lead FC Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski back to Bayern Munich.
The official nail in the coffin on that Harry Kane rumor and why I’m starting to come around on Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
A look at the “leaked” list of Bayern’s plans for each player during the off-season.

Song of the Week: “Memories” by Weezer

Of all of the great songs Weezer has released, this is one of the most underrated tunes. Released in 2010 on the “Hurley” album, this was not the widely-played kind of hit that has become the norm for Weezer, but to me, it is one of their best efforts and really hit home for a number of reasons.

In an odd twist, the video features the old Jackass crew — and if you have followed those guys as they have aged, things have not gone well for many of them (some are deceased, some are in bad shape in other ways). Surely, they would have trouble watching this video thinking about what life was like back then and how it all changed since that point.

I was definitely a fan of their work back in the day and really only live 20 minutes or so from quite a few of them (so yeah, it would be weird to be driving around and seeing some of their antics being filmed).

Anyway, here is a terrific song from Weezer:

Sabitzer says Bayern won’t bottle it

Say what you want about Bayern Munich’s Manchester United loanee Marcel Sabitzer, but he has not lost his common sense in England. When asked if Bayern Munich would be able to close out the league and win yet another title, Sabitzer didn’t hesitate.

“Bayern München. I think last weekend in particular pointed the way. There’s so much experience in the dressing room at Bayern, they know exactly what is at stake. That’s why I’m convinced Bayern will bring it home,” Sabitzer told Sky Sport’s Florian Plettenberg (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).

Sabitzer was really good for Bayern Munich this season and has been great for Manchester United. It is a shame that he has such a tough time adjusting to a new role and a new life in Bavaria last season, because the club seemingly wrote him off at that point. Meanwhile, Sabitzer has regained his mojo and looks like the exact kind of player that Bayern Munich needs right now.

Unfortunately, things seem to be set that Sabitzer will be sold this summer.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Preview Show — Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen

Sitting atop the Bundesliga table by the slimmest of margins over Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich will travel to Werder Bremen in a match that it absolutely needs.

While much of the focus for fans has been on the changes that could occur on the roster and in the board room, there is still a league title to capture. For Bayern Munich, grabbing another three points this week could be vital to that pursuit. Here is what we have on tap for this episode:

A look at where each team resides in the Bundesliga table and a peek at their recent form.
Despite some quality names on the roster, Werder Bremen has not been able to put things together this season. Who you should know on Werder Bremen and why.
Ideas on how Bayern Munich could line up for this match and the rationale behind some of our selections.
A prediction on the match.