Reports: BMG list of striker candidates focuses on five players
Germany's preeminent sporting publication and its main sporting tabloid report that Borussia Mönchengladbach presently have five candidates in mind for the summer rebuild of their striker corps.
At a Thursday presser, Borussia Mönchengladbach trainer Daniel Farke spoke on the need for "roughly 30 striker goals" from his squad next season. The BMG gaffer - in something potentially revealing about his own discussions with club management - was also quick to add that "they do not all need to come from the same player".
The Westphalian foals, forced to cope with Marcus Thuram's departure, will likely have to sign more than one striker this summer. Germany's Kicker Magazine and German tabloid "Sport Bild" both report that the club probably wishes to sign one forward on a free and shell some money out for another.
Fortuna Düsseldorf striker Dawid Kownacki - whom Gladbach are rumored to be directly courting - can be had on a free. So too can to AS St. Etienne attacker Jean-Philippe Krasso, a Stuttgart native who has been repeatedly loaned out by his French parent club and doesn't appear to have a future with "Les Verts".
Kicker and Sport Bild both report that Gladbach are also considering American striker Brandon Vasquez of FC Cincinnati and Vangelis Pavlidis of AZ Alkmaar, players of an estimated €7 million and €12 million market worth. Sport Bild alone brings the name of Jupiler Pro League striker Hugo Cuypers into the discussion. The KAA Gent attacker is worth an estimated €8 million.
BMG sporting director Roland Virkus will be working on a limited budget, but a potential sale of midfield talent Manu Kouadio Koné could bring in €20-30 million in inlays for Virkus' search. Thuram, along with squad captain Lars Stindl and left-back Ramy Bensebaini, will net the club nothing as they depart on free transfers.