Will Borussia Dortmund end Bayern Munich’s title dominance? On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool will play their final Premier League game against already-relegated Southampton, ending a forgettable season.
Liverpool knows that regardless of the outcome on the South Coast, they will compete in UEFA’s second-tier league starting in September because seven victories in their last 10 matches have not been enough to earn them the most recent late qualification for the Champions League at the expense of either Manchester United or Newcastle United.
In light of this, the impending arrival of Bundesliga veteran Jorg Schmadtke demonstrates how quickly those at Anfield are acting behind the scenes to ensure a first Europa League campaign since 2016 is nothing more than a mere blemish on Jurgen Klopp’s remarkable track record in Europe since succeeding Brendan Rodgers in the autumn of 2015.
The ECHO has learned that Schmadtke will go to Merseyside soon to finalize the terms of his brief Liverpool contract, which would see him replace departing sporting director Julian Ward after less than a year in the position.
Between 1985 and 1998, Schmadtke had a successful playing career in the Bundesliga. Since then, he has established himself as one of Germany’s most illustrious athletic directors. The 59-year-old, who most recently oversaw athletic operations at 2009 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg until declaring his “retirement” earlier this year, has also held equal positions at Alemannia Aachen, Hannover 96, and FC Koln.
Will Borussia Dortmund end Bayern Munich’s title dominance?
Publications in Germany have already speculated that once Schmadtke completes a deal with the Reds, where he will work alongside Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter, he might use his extensive network of connections to entice some of the Bundesliga’s top players to Anfield as Klopp continues to formulate plans for a significant summer overhaul.
Ryan Gravenberch, a midfielder for Bayern Munich who the ECHO knows Liverpool is interested in signing this summer, is a player that Schmadtke is reportedly “hot for” and may try to woo to his new employers after the Dutchman’s trying first campaign at the Allianz Arena.
Gravenberch moved to Bavaria from his hometown club Ajax last summer, but neither Thomas Tuchel nor Julian Nagelsmann has secured Gravenberch a starting spot. According to a report from Sky Sports last month, the 21-year-old was among a group of midfielders that Liverpool considered signing in the summer, along with Aurelien Tchouameni, Enzo Fernandez, Jude Bellingham, and Nicolo Barella.
The player’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, and his father, who wants to mentor his son during his career’s early phases, were met with by senior Reds officials, according to Sky Sports.
Additionally, Schmadtke may try to entice Florian Neuhaus, a fellow Bundesliga midfielder, to the red half of Merseyside this summer. With his contract set to expire in the summer of 2022, the Borussia Monchengladbach and Germany star has been linked with a move to Liverpool. According to SPORTBild, Monchengladbach may be “willing” to consider offers for the 26-year-old in the range of £10 million to £15 million.
Links to both midfielders emerged after the Reds chose to drop their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund and England superstar Bellingham to evenly distribute summer finances around their engine room rather than approving a single purchase that would have destroyed their bank account.
The next player named as having a chance to join Liverpool in the near future is RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, who has previously acknowledged supporting the Reds as a young boy. According to SPORTBild, Gvardiol is on the “shopping lists of almost every top club.”
The 21-year-old, who can play as a left-back or center-back, has had a successful season for both club and country, and his World Cup performances for Croatia have drawn the attention of many elite clubs.
Supporters have hailed Guardiola as someone who may succeed on the left side of the defense in the German’s new-look 3-2-2-3 formation, and Klopp revealed earlier this month that the Reds would be aiming to bolster all of their departments this summer, save from the forward line.
The World Cup semifinalist has a release clause in his contract worth more than £90 million that will start to take effect in July 2024 and runs through the summer of 2027 at the Red Bull Arena. Last year, when asked where his ideal vacation spot would be, Guardiola responded, “That would definitely be Liverpool.
Since childhood, my dad and I have watched many Liverpool games together and discussed every season in detail. I will always hold this club dear to my heart.
Daichi Kamada, a playmaker for Eintracht Frankfurt and a soon-to-be-out-of-contract Japanese player, has also been linked with a summer move to the Premier League. The 26-year-old is apparently eager to emulate his idol, former Man United midfielder Shinji Kagawa. The midfielder is the only person on SPORTBild’s list who hasn’t previously been connected to a move to Liverpool, but he is reportedly catching the interest of both Benfica and AC Milan.
As of right now, Kamada is in the final week of the Bundesliga season with nine goals and six assists, and it is widely believed that he will leave the league.
