Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on Lennart Karl, but the Bayern Munich ace is not a player anyone would prize from Bayern Munich.
Bild reports that the Premier League trio keep the 18-year-old player firmly on their radar. Arsenal are not new to this either, with reports last October suggesting Mikel Arteta’s side were already looking at him.
The catch is quite simple. None of the three clubs have made a bid or come forward and Bayern Munich have no intention of letting him go.
What is Lennart Karl worth watching?
Karl came through the Bayern youth system, impressing with the U17s and U19s before making his first-team debut at the Club World Cup in June 2025. Since then, he has 10 goals and 10 assists in 51 games and 2,406 minutes, which is a serious turnaround for someone his age.
He has been quieter this season with one goal and two assists in 11 games. He is primarily an attacking midfielder, but can also play on the right wing, so appeal to all three English clubs is obvious. Arsenal and Liverpool are already going head-to-head for a teenager, with Arsenal’s loan move for Gilberto Mora taking them ahead in the race.
United, meanwhile, are looking for midfield talent in Europe, having recently tipped Barcelona over Fermin Lopez.
No offers yet and no intention to sell
Karl signed a contract in February until 2029, so Bayern hold all the cards. His market value is unchanged at €60m since last December, but any sale would cost more than that.
Even so, the buyer will have to convince both the player and Vincent Kompany’s side that they have no intention of selling the Bundesliga winners.
Why did Uli Hoenß call him?
The interesting part is the buzz around him in Munich. Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoenß spoke about the youngster in an interview last weekend and didn’t exactly gush. Hoeneß said: “I intend to have a serious talk with him. He is far from a superstar; young players need humility. Comparisons with Olise are obviously not good for him; there is still a world of difference between them.”
Max Eberl took a softer line when asked about those comments. He said: “What happened with Lenny is a completely normal process for a young player.” Eberl also pointed to the injury that cost him the World Cup. A muscle problem in June kept Karl out until August and Jurgen Klopp then moved him from the first Germany squad to the second to manage his workload.
Kompany also preached patience, saying of the teenager’s form this month: “His moment will come.”
Lennart Karl transfer verdict: one to watch, not one to bank
We didn’t expect anything to happen here quickly. Monitoring is cheap and with a 2029 contract and a club keen to keep him, he is first in line if the mood in Munich ever changes.
However, Hoeneß’s public speaking is something rival clubs have taken note of. Arsenal and Liverpool have bigger things in mind when they meet at Anfield on Sunday, but for all three clubs, Karl looks set to be a name to stay on the list and little else for now.