Agent: Gomez keen on Italy move

The striker’s representative has hinted at a move to Serie A as the Germany international wants to leave his current club this summer to get regular first-team football

Mario Gomez is keen to leave Bayern Munich for a move to Italy this summer amid strong interest from Fiorentina, according to his agent Uli Ferber.

Ferber insisted last week the Germany international has yet to agree personal terms with the Serie A side, but has now made it clear Gomez would be open to a move to the Italian top flight.

“I hope that the next step will be made in the upcoming few days,” Ferber was quoted as saying by Kicker.

“Mario has a preference to go to Italy.”

The 27-year-old has a contract with Bayern Munich until Junef 2016, but is keen to move on after losing his starting berth at the Bavarians to Mario Mandzukic.

The former Stuttgart star has made well over 100 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern in the past four seasons, winning two Bundesliga titles, two DFB Pokals and the Champions League.

Effenberg urges Fiorentina to sign Gomez

The former Germany international is confident the striker would prove to be a smash-hit in Serie A if he joins the Viola

Stefan Effenberg has urged Fiorentina to make a move for Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez.

The Bayern Munich striker has been strongly linked with the Bavarians’ exit door after falling out favour at the Allianz Arena last season, with Mario Mandzukic often preferred up front.

Gomez has since been tipped as a possible transfer target of Vincenzo Montella’s and if the Viola do make a move, then Effenberg – who himself left Bayern for Fiorentina in 1992 before returning to the club six years later – is confident it would be a good deal for all parties.

“He would work well at Fiorentina,” the 44-year-old told Itasportpress.it.

“Besides his quality in the air he does a lot of work for his team-mates. He could score even more than 15 goals in Italy.

“He has played less this season than in other campaigns but if Fiorentina buy him then it will be a great move.”

The 27-year-old joined Bayern from Stuttgart in 2009 and scored a stunning 43 goals in 52 outings in 2011/12, but could only muster 13 from his 28 appearances last season.

Martinez targeting fourth trophy of 2013

The Bayern Munich midfielder can add to his Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League silverware should Spain beat Brazil on Sunday

Javi Martinez can take his trophy tally in 2013 to four should Spain defeat Brazil in the Confederations Cup in his “dream” final on Sunday.

The midfielder helped to secure the Bundesliga title at the start of April as the Bavarians romped to a resounding lead ahead of 2011 and 2012 league victors Borussia Dortmund.

They also edged Jurgen Klopp’s men in the Champions League final as Arjen Robben’s late goal secured European glory following two showpiece defeats in the previous three seasons in the competition.

The club completed and unprecedented treble in Jupp Heynckes’ final game in charge with a 3-2 DFB-Pokal final win over Stuttgart and now the 24-year-old can add the Confederations Cup to his silverware collection should la Roja beat the Selecao.

“A final against Brazil at the Maracana was my dream as a child,” Martinez told reporters. “Now it can come true.”

Martinez’s Spanish compatriot Pep Guardiola took over from Heynckes in charge at the Allianz Arena in June and has his first chance at winning a trophy in the DFL-Supercup against Dortmund on July 27.

Fabregas: No Barcelona revolution needed

The midfielder has called for minor changes in the summer and pointed at the Bavarians’ recent success and Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning team as proof this method works

Cesc Fabregas has insisted that Barcelona do not need to be revolutionised on the back of a season which saw them defeated 7-0 by Bayern Munich over two legs in the Champions League.

Critics suggested that the Blaugrana needed new players to invigorate the club, with the €57 million signing of Neymar potentially proof that Camp Nou chiefs were listening.

However, the former Arsenal skipper thinks that the club’s Bavarian conquerors are evidence that evolution as opposed to upheaval is the way forward for the Catalans this summer.

“In sport and in life, making rash decisions is the worst thing you can do,” Fabregas, 26, told Sport. “After our Bayern elimination, comments were directed at us to change everything.

“This always happens, especially in large clubs. You have to decide more quietly and then assess what you can improve and what you cannot.

“For example, the obvious case are Bayern. The lost two Champions League finals and then won in their attempt third [over four years] with almost the same players. Sometimes change is not so necessary.

“The Barca team that won the treble with Pep Guardiola was not winning anything two years earlier and everybody wanted to change everything. Then they made history with almost the same team by adding Gerard Pique and Dani Alves.

“Already on board were Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure, Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol… So we should go easy.”

Bayern win 15-1 on Guardiola's debut

The treble winners ran out comfortable winners during the Spaniard coach’s first game in charge, with several youngster’s handed their chances to impress

Bayern Munich earned a comprehensive 15-1 victory in a friendly match against local fans on Saturday, during what was Pep Guardiola’s first game in the dugout.

The Bavarian’s hosted their Wildenau-based supporters and were already 3-0 up in the first period, thanks to goals from Thomas Muller as well as youth prospects Oliver Markoutz and Vladimir Rankovic.

Die Roten opened the floodgates in the second-half as Patrick Weihrauch, Julian Green, Franck Ribery, Mitchell Weiser and Toni Kroos struck.

Germany Under-19 international Weihrauch will have done his first-team prospects no harm after his four-goal haul, while fellow starlet Green, who was born in Florida, impressed with his display and subsequent hat-trick.

Guardiola will also be pleased to welcome back Kroos, after the playmaker missed the tail-end of last season through injury.

The 23-year-old turned out beside Ribery and Jerome Boateng in the second-half.