Bayern Munich is said to have identified Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma as potential transfer targets after discovering that Nico Williams prefers to join Barcelona this summer.
Williams opted to remain with Athletic Club following a breakout performance at Euro 2024 last summer; however, the Spanish winger is still regarded as one of the top talents in global football, attracting numerous suitors after the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.
Bayern, Arsenal, and Chelsea expressed disappointment at his reported choice to join Barcelona, contingent on whether the financially-strapped Catalans can facilitate the transfer.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Bayern has been “fully informed” of this situation, yet they will remain poised to act should Barcelona be unable to finalize a deal due to financial constraints—issues persist, and the Dani Olmo situation caused significant embarrassment for the club when his mid-season re-registration was denied.
However, Bayern is not solely reliant on Williams and a potential misstep from Barcelona that may not materialize; they are also exploring alternatives.
They are maintaining communication with Gakpo and Mitoma, as well as Bradley Barcola, a Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan’s Rafael Leão—Sports Illustrated previously indicated that the Bavarian giants have an interest in the latter.
Bayern bolstered their squad with Michael Olise from Crystal Palace last summer, but the Bundesliga powerhouses have already parted ways with Leroy Sané, who has transferred to Galatasaray, and are anticipated to also release Kingsley Coman ahead of the upcoming season.
There is a concern that Gakpo may experience reduced playing time at Liverpool with Florian Wirtz in the lineup and the possibility that Luis Díaz will remain once Barcelona invests their resources in Williams.