Daily Schmankerl: Florian Wirtz expecting challenge from Bayern Munich and others for Bundesliga title; PSG’s Xavi Simons back to RB Leipzig; BVB beats Bayern on Italian phenom; Juventus is chasing Federico Chiesa (and others) out the door; & MORE!

As Bayern Munich prepares to find a way to change its fortunes and win at least one trophy this season, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is expecting the Bavarians to be just one of several big contenders for the Meisterschale.

“Bayern have brought in a few players who will of course strengthen them. But I believe that the difference between Bayern and the other top teams is definitely not as big as it was in recent years. That’s why we’re not hiding from anyone. We won’t approach it with arrogance, but we know that Bayern are still in the league. We’ll try to beat them, of course, but they’re still Bayern Munich and you always have to keep an eye on them,” said Wirtz. “Leipzig and Stuttgart also played pretty good football last season. The clubs at the top have moved a bit closer together and I think that the league benefits from the fact that the other teams are also catching up.”

Wirtz did not bring up Borussia Dortmund, but BVB has the potential to be better than last season in the league, while clubs like Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim could also make surges. While Bayern Munich might be the favorite, winning the league is no longer a certainty.

At one point, Bayern Munich was eyeing Atalanta’s Samuele Inacio, but the young Italian chose to ink a deal with Borussia Dortmund. The transfer was rumored for weeks, but has now been formalized:

Bayern Munich came out of the gates flying against Tottenham Hotspur during the friendly between the two teams in South Korea.

In what was — by far — Bayern Munich’s best half of play during this preseason, the team was electric, played with high energy, and generally made life hell for Tottenham. Using an early goal from Gabriel Vidović, Bayern Munich never really relented until late in the match to ultimately capture a 2-1 victory.

Needless to say, it was an impressive showing, so let’s not delay the excitement and get talking. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:

• A look at the starting XI.
• A rundown of the scoring and subs.
• Some general thoughts on just how good — and FUN — Bayern Munich looked.
• A pat on the back for Vincent Kompany.
• If Bayern Munich can get this version of Serge Gnabry, there is no reason to keep trying to sell him.
• Did any concerns arise? Well, yeah, but just a few.

On Saturday, Juventus faced off with Brest and there was one noticeable omission from the game day squad — attacker Federico Chiesa. If you were wondering why, then head coach Thiago Motta has you covered:

The last thing that Bayern Munich needs is another winger, but before the team was overrun with wide attackers, having Chiesa in the mix would have been a good thing. Now, though, Bayern Munich needs to offload a minimum of two-to-three wingers just make it a manageable situation for head coach Vincent Kompany.

Anyway, Football Insider (via 90Min.com) is reporting that Tottenham Hotspur is no longer interested in Chiesa (we’ve heard that before), but Chelsea FC is still all-in:

Chelsea remain interested in signing Juventus forward Federico Chiesa, but Tottenham Hotspur have withdrawn from the race.

It is not just Chiesa, though, who is getting booted out the door. Check out the list of names that Fabrizio Romano provided who will need to find a new home:

If any club wants Manchester City attacker Julián Álvarez, it will have to buck up:

Manchester City will demand £80m from interested clubs if they are to sell Julián Álvarez before the end of the window. Atletico Madrid are in talks with the forward’s agents.

Bayern Munich took off for its jaunt in Asia where it will continue its preparation for the 2024/25 campaign. Competition on the squad will be fierce, moves will still be made (transfers in and out), and fan excitement/anxiety will likely start to skyrocket.

What better time to gauge how we are all feeling? Let’s get to it. This is what we have on tap for this episode of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:

• How about a heat check on where fans stand at this point of the transfer window?
• Joshua Kimmich is reportedly going to play out his contract — what does that mean for him and why it could be bad news for Bayern Munich.
• Noussair Mazraoui is just about gone, will Matthijs de Ligt follow him to Manchester United?
• The Entertainment Rundown featuring takes on House of the Dragon and…BlackBerry (!?).

After flirting with Bayern Munich (and some other clubs), Paris Saint-Germain attacker Xavi Simons is headed back to RB Leipzig on loan:

While FC Barcelona wants João Cancelo and the player would like to return to Catalonia, Manchester City’s expectations on a transfer fee could be a hindrance in getting a deal done:

Another player whose future at Man City is uncertain is right-back João Cancelo. A return to Barcelona is unlikely because of his £25m price tag.

Bayern Munich looks set to continue onward in its preseason knowing that changes are (maybe) coming.

An overloaded roster will eventually have to be addressed, but Vincent Kompany will have to deal with that, while also figuring out exactly what he has in this group and how he wants them to play.

That will be no easy task. Needless to say, we have a lot to chat about.

This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show:

• Is Bayern Munich’s front office taking an amateurish approach to this transfer window?
• João Palhinha looks and sounds like the real deal…can he avoid the pitfalls that have felled other big Bayern Munich signings?
• Despite the poor showings in friendlies, it is not time to panic at Bayern Munich just yet.
• Is it inevitable that Jamal Musiala leaves Bayern Munich next summer? Will Florian Wirtz replace him? Some things appear to be in motion, so let’s discuss.