According to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Bayern Munich want to complete a deal for Konrad Laimer after finalising the signing of Matthijs de Ligt.
Negotiations started between Bayern and RB Leipzig two months ago. However, things slowed down after Bayern switched their attention to de Ligt. They fought off competition from Chelsea to secure the signature of the 22-year-old, and they are back in for Laimer.
With Leon Goretzka set to miss the start of the new campaign after undergoing successful knee surgery, talks for Laimer have resumed. Despite signing Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax, Julian Naglesmann wants to strengthen his midfield further with a player he knows well.
Manchester United looked set to rival Bayern for his signature. However, they will have to look elsewhere, with the Leipzig man keen on reuniting with his former coach. Negotiations with Leipzig will not be a walk in the park, but the Bundesliga champions are confident of striking a deal.
Bayern have agreed on personal terms with the 25-year-old but are yet to match Leipzig’s price tag. The Austrian has one year left on his contract, and Die Roten are looking to capitalise. They had an opening bid of €20 million knocked back because Die Roten Bullen are holding out for €30m at least.
The former RB Salzburg man played a vital role in Domenico Tedesco’s side last season. He registered four goals and four assists in 26 games, as they beat Union Berlin to a fourth-placed finish by one point. He also helped his side claim their first major trophy in history when they beat SC Freiburg to lift the DFB Pokal title.
Laimer has spent the better part of the last decade with the Red Bull franchise. He graduated from the Red Bull Salzburg academy in 2014 and made his first-team debut in September.
After eight goals and six assists in 77 games, he moved to RB Leipzig in 2017. He has since established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Germany.
The Austria international has made 160 appearances for Leipzig since joining, chipping in with 11 goals and 18 assists. However, Laimer’s life with the Red Bull set-up could end this summer, with a move to Bayern almost inevitable.
Bayern are currently in the United States, where they will face DC United on Wednesday and Manchester City on Saturday.
