Revealed! These clubs were interested in Bayern youngster Karl | OneFootball

Lennart Karl is currently getting plenty of playing time at FC Bayern and is making excellent use of it. This development was not yet foreseeable in the summer – and several clubs wanted to sign the youngster.

FC Bayern deliberately made an early commitment to Lennart Karl – and apparently denied several clubs access to him. According to Sport BILD, three clubs had concrete plans to sign the 17-year-old and lure him with plenty of playing time. Newcastle United, Ajax Amsterdam and Eintracht Frankfurt made efforts to sign the youngster before FC Bayern created a fait accompli with its decision.

A move to Frankfurt would have been a return for Karl: he played in Eintracht’s youth academy from 2017 to 2021.

Karl is regarded as one of the most exciting talents in German soccer. The left-footer comes from the club’s own youth ranks, was brought into the professional squad in the summer and made an immediate impression.

In an interview with Sport BILD, sporting director Max Eberl explained why Karl was able to take on a significant role so quickly this season. „I think his great strength is that he simply doesn’t make a big deal of himself,“ said Eberl. „He just wants to play soccer. He has a self-image, a self-confidence, but a healthy one, not an exaggerated one.“ After his impressions from training, it quickly became clear that Karl has a special presence: „He has also gained this recognition from the boys in these actions, so to speak.“

Eberl delighted with Karl’s development at FC Bayern

Eberl described the teenager in clear terms: „You can see it on the pitch: his teammates are looking for him. He harmonizes with Michael Olise. He harmonizes with Jo Kimmich. He simply has the technical skills and of course has a gifted left foot.“ It was precisely these qualities that led Bayern to make the development of the youngster a top priority.

The talented youngster’s contract was deliberately designed for the long term. Karl signed a three-year contract in August, which will automatically be extended until 2029 on 22 February 2026 – his 18th birthday. Karl’s advisor Michael Ballack worked closely with Bayern to draw up a development plan that covers both sporting and personal aspects.

photo: IMAGO

Eberl reported in detail on the joint planning at the time: „We spoke to Michael Ballack, thought about how we could make the contract work. The main aim was to focus on all the different facets.“

Eberl, sporting director Christoph Freund and coach Vincent Kompany agreed around the time of the Club World Cup in the summer that Karl should be developed specifically as a backup for Michael Olise – and even forgo the signing of another top player in this position. „That was really a conscious decision,“ explained Eberl. „We wanted to concentrate on three players: Wisdom Mike, Cassiano Kiala and Lennart. That gave him his minutes and of course he used them impressively.“