Has anyone fallen upwards quite as dramatically as Vincent Kompany? Relegated with Burnley to the Bayern Munich hotseat in the space of just a few days.
As you might have guessed, the Manchester City legend was not Bayern’s first-choice managerial target. He wasn’t even the second either. Or, for that matter, the third, fourth, fifth and so on.
HITC understands that the Champions League semi-finals were snubbed by Xabi Alonso, Ralf Rangnick, Oliver Glasner and Roger Schmidt. Julian Nagelsmann also opted to extend his stay with the German national team, while Thomas Tuchel decided against U-turning on his summer exit as Bayern became increasingly desperate.
So desperate, in fact, that they now appear to be on the verge of handing the reigns to a man who’s brittle Burnley side finished eight points adrift of safety in the Premier League’s relegation zone, conceding 78 goals along the way.
Bayern Munich missed out on Newcastle United target
This, however, has been the story of Bayern’s last 12 months. In the transfer market too, the Bavarian giants missing out on leading targets such as Kieran Trippier and Joao Palhinha admittedly while succeeding in luring Harry Kane away from Tottenham Hotspur.
A man HITC understands is now on the radars of Newcastle United and Chelsea ahead of the upcoming summer window has now opened up on his decision to turn down a move to the Allianz Arena too.
Giorgi Mamardashvili, the outstanding young Valencia goalkeeper, had even travelled to Germany and had begun house hunting, only to find out that Bayern’s pockets were not quite as deep as expected.
“My father and my agent were in Munich, settling the final details of the negotiations,” Mamardashvili tells Geo Team. “I was already looking for a house in Munich where I should live.
“But, in the end, it turned out that they couldn’t pay the amount that was needed. It was 35 million (euros), I think.”
If Valencia are looking for a similar fee these days, either Newcastle or Chelsea could snap up one of the planet’s best young shot-stoppers for just £30 million. HITC have been told that Los Che a ready to cash in on Mamardashvili, seemingly for a fee comfortably below his £86 million release clause.
Eddie Howe in the market for a new goalkeeper
Newcastle are in the market for a Nick Pope replacement. The 32-year-old has endured an injury-hit campaign, and lacks the distribution skills that Eddie Howe would ideally utilise between the sticks. Loris Karius is also expected to depart, most likely to Italy.
“My future will be very clear very soon,” the Georgia international adds. “Now, I don’t think about anything else.”
Mamardashvili, meanwhile, is nearly a decade Pope’s junior at just 23. Comparisons have been drawn, with one of the finest goalkeepers of the modern era, Mamardashvili sharing Thibaut Courtois’ fearsome frame and feline reflexes.
“He is the best signing that Valencia has made in recent times,” former Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Real Sociedad ‘keeper Miguel Angel Moya previously told Marca.
“It is true that, if he continues like this, it will be difficult to retain him. It seems to me that, right now, he is one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga, without a doubt. Of the under-23s in Europe, along with Diego Costa of Porto, he is the one I like the most.
“He reminds me a lot of Courtois; with a big wingspan, very tall but agile. He has determination, takes risks, dominates and he can block (shots).”
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