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Daily Schmankerl: FC Barcelona eyeing big Bayern Munich double swoop involving Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano; Tottenham Hotspur aiming to keep João Palhinha; and MORE!

FC Barcelona sporting director Deco could be eying a blockbuster summer at the expense of Bayern Munich.

Apparently, Barca will attempt to lure free agent Dayot Upamecano and star striker Harry Kane to Catalonia:

FC Barcelona continues to work on future planning, and the sporting directors are already dreaming of a transfer that could change everything. Deco has a truly luxurious deal on the table in Munich: a two-for-one deal with Harry Kane and Dayot Upamecano as the main players. Two profiles that fit the Blaugrana’s needs and could be within reach next summer.

Harry Kane, on the agenda
The English striker remains one of the most sought-after names on the European scene. At 32, he maintains an enviable goal-scoring ability and his form has not suffered in the Bundesliga or the Champions League. At Barça, Kane is estimated to be the immediate replacement for Robert Lewandowski , bringing experience, goalscoring ability, and leadership at a key moment in the project.

Laporta and Deco know it won’t be easy. Bayern isn’t a club that makes exits easy, especially when it comes to important players. However, the current circumstances open a door that Barça doesn’t want to waste.

The plan is on the table: Harry Kane as the immediate number 9 and Upamecano as the defensive centerpiece of the future . Deco has a true 2-for-1 deal in Munich that could define the sporting planning for the coming years. Barça, attentive to the market, is looking to make a statement with deals that combine ambition and opportunity.

The Upamecano situation is not dire…yet. There are still a few months before this really gets concerning and we at least know that there is communication between the player’s camp and Bayern Munich. As for Kane, it would be a complete shock if the Englisman landed anywhere other than home next summer, should he actually decide to leave Bavaria.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior might not be vibing with new boss Xabi Alonso just yet and the star attacker could be toying with the idea of playing elsewhere:

Vinicius Junior is “upset” after being left out of the Real Madrid team in midweek, and a departure “can’t be ruled out” if the situation gets any worse. Talks over a new contract have been put on hold in recent months, with his current deal expiring in 2027.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 8, Episode 11 (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich will get some down time…not much, but some.

The Bavarians are not back in action until Friday against Werder Bremen, so a day or two of rest will not be such a bad thing for a squad coming off of an arduous week.

Let’s check in on where things stand with Bayern Munich and some other hot topics as well. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Show:

A heat check on the position groups.
Why were so many fans unhappy with a 4-1 win over Hoffenheim?
People were quick to bury Lennart Karl, and how about that resurgent effort from Kim Min-jae.
Could this season convince Harry Kane to see out his deal and what would it take for Kane to win the Ballon d’Or?
An update on the striker market for 2026 — with notes on Kane, Dušan Vlahović, and Erling Haaland.
A farewell to a legend.

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Tottenham Hotspur appears to like Bayern Munich loanee João Palhinha so much that it is ready to starting talking about making his deal permanent:

Tottenham Hotspur may soon open talks to complete a permanent move for 30-year-old Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha in the January transfer window. According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Joao Palhinha has left an indelible mark on the decision-makers at Tottenham Hotspur with his performances in the first month of the 2025/26 season. That has compelled the North London club to seek talks over a permanent move for the Bayern Munich misfit heading into the winter transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur’s loan agreement with Bayern Munich gave them the option to convert Joao Palhinha’s stay to a permanent arrangement for £27 million.

Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala is not ever going to be the life of the party, but he is okay with that.

“I’ve always been a quieter person who doesn’t get loud—either on or off the pitch. It’s true: the older you get, the greater the responsibility you should bear, and I’m ready to accept it. But I do it my way. Getting loud isn’t part of it. That’s just not me,” Musiala said.

When Bayern Munich traveled to Sinsheim on a short week after taking down Chelsea FC in the Champions League, it was never going to be easy.

Hoffenheim is well-coached, motivated, and playing with a real fire. For a weary Bayern Munich side, that meant trouble, but Vincent Kompany heavily rotated his men and while it was not always dominant or even pretty, the Bavarians showed their grit once again in a 4-1 win.

Let’s get into all of the details right here on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:

A look at the starting XI and why it was absolutely the right move to rotated so much.
A rundown of the scoring and substitutions — and why that scary first half told us so much about where the squad stands.
Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match.

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Real Madrid could be looking very closely at Arsenal defender William Saliba:

Real Madrid are attentive to the situation of Arsenal defender William Saliba, according to Football Insider. The 24-year-old is reportedly one of the players on the short list of Los Blancos as they continue their search to sign a center back. However, the Gunners want to accelerate negotiations over a new contract to ward off interest from other clubs, with Saliba set to enter the final year of his deal at the Emirates Stadium next summer.

AS (via ESPN) added more context as well:

Arsenal center back William Saliba is an option for Real Madrid in 2026, despite having brought in Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alvaro Carreras to strengthen the backline this summer. There are “various names on the agenda” but says one of them is Saliba, with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté being a “cheap alternative” as he’ll be out of contract next year.

“We don’t want to follow hype; we want to follow development. And I think a lot of young players have fallen by the wayside somewhere because they were so hyped. They believed they had to do things, and in the end, they fell by the wayside. And that’s precisely not our interest. Our interest is to let young players develop little by little in an environment where they can become Bayern Munich players, where they can achieve their big goals. That’s what we have to realize. We need the environment for that, and that’s why we’re trying to loan a player in attack,” said Eberl.

Man….the weekend. We all need it, so let’s get it kicked off with some talk on Bayern Munich! This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:

Bayern Munich’s win over Chelsea showed us a level of guts and mentality that we have not seen in a while.
How good has Harry Kane been? Can he keep up this torrid pace? Who’s your guy — Lewandowski or Kane?
Will Kane see out his contract…or maybe even extend? If Kane leaves, who can possibly replace him? The usual suspects (Erling Haaland, Benjamin Šeško, Viktor Gyökeres, Nick Woltemade) are all likely off the table.
Some names to watch on Julian Nagelsmann’s “shadow team.”
A review of Task, Episode 2.