Bundesliga Internationa CEO Robert Klein is focused on investment at the youth level in Indian football and is hoping to execute a long-term plan for the same. In an exclusive conversation with Goal at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) convention on the business of football in India - GOAL 2019, Klein said."We hope to take a long-term view and we are looking very carefully at what the right strategy will be on the ground for us with respect to business to consumer which are the fans. We have the live feed and content of course. The other thing is how do we help Indian football grow so the partnership works both ways. "We are looking at grassroots projects which would fit into that category where they would be an investment at the youth level. There would be an opportunity for Bundesliga as well but also to bring coaching talents on exchange. So, I would say yes. The longer-term goal is to bring our clubs here "We understand the challenges of going into key markets and create partnerships like with IMG-Reliance. We then act as the catalyst so that the clubs can come in and have what we hope will be worthwhile conversations whether it is on coach knowledge exchange, stadium building, etc. We are beginning to understand what makes sense for Indian football and then we can translate this back. Bundesliga will not have it easy, considering the strong reach of the Premier League and the La Liga in the Asian market. "Our research shows that in Japan we are clearly No:1, as well as in China. Other regions it is too close to call. "The way we go about it is that we have set up a company which is solely focused on international markets and key regions. We create a marketing plan year in, year out with a long-term view in terms of what KPI we want to set in terms of fan base but also in terms of commercial success. Then we work back from that as to what we need to do on the ground week in, week out to achieve those goals. Like the live broadcast, focus on local stars, digital content, influencers and the PR. That combination of being local as well means we will have a constant exchange with the fans and grow awareness. We want to be in the minds and also the hearts of the fans, we want to create that emotional connection," he said. Robert Klein feels that Bundesliga has not given enough attention to fully utilise and develop the popularity the German league enjoys in India. "From what we have seen, there has been an increase but not a sharp increase (in popularity in the last few years). It has been relatively slow because I don’t think we have given it the focus and attention it needs.  We have to be realistic about the competition which is cricket, Fortnite and other digital games and the media fragmentation. "So we have to understand the market better. We are now doing extended research which we did not do before so that we have a clear view of what our fan base is. Which are football fans, which are Bundesliga fans and which are avid Bundesliga fans. We call this fan funnel. Once we understand who our fans are and where they are watching, we are then able to address them correctly. "I would say we are still at the beginning phase but we are very excited because we do see an absolute base for Bundesliga fans and football fans that we think we can speak to and address in a way in which football is meant to be played."

Rafael van der Vaart has said in-demand Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt should join Bayern Munich this summer. The Netherlands international is reportedly a target for some of the world’s top sides including Bayern, Barcelona and Manchester City, and Van der Vaart claims De Ligt would be a perfect fit for the German champions. Speaking to Sport1, the former Ajax, Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder said: “Bayern must get De Ligt, he is absolutely a player for Munich. “I would advise him to go there, although I always said that he would be a good match for Juventus.  “Bayern play in central defence with Niklas Sule, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, but it is not clear if Hummels and Boateng will remain. So, there would be room for De Ligt. The boy is a great talent, has a lot of quality.” Van der Vaart is something of an expert on Dutchmen playing in the Bundesliga, having spent six years of his career with German side Hamburg. Like De Ligt, he also came through Ajax’s youth system, and played over 150 games for the club. The 36-year-old has been hugely impressed with De Ligt’s performances and believes he is showing maturity far beyond his years. He added: “De Ligt is only 19 years old and has a charisma and self-confidence like a 30-year-old. He gets on really well in interviews, seems very clear in the head, down to earth and grown up. “This is a player who does not hang his head after mistakes and keeps going. He is already a great role model for many talents in the Netherlands.” It’s not just De Ligt who has impressed Van der Vaart, but also his centre-back colleague for the national side, Virgil van Dijk. “He has everything to be the best in the world. He is tall, has charisma and is an absolute leader at Liverpool," said Van der Vaart. "He is outstanding. He has everything and is well on the way to becoming the best centre-back in the world." Van der Vaart was speaking after the Netherlands’ 3-2 defeat to Germany on Sunday night, a game in which the Dutch came from two goals behind only to lose. “Before the game, of course, we thought again that we will win the game against the Germans. Up front they have enormous quality. They are brutally strong and they showed that again in the first half against Oranje. That was incredible.  “In the second half, however, you have seen what the Germans still lack a world-class team. On the defensive side, there are extreme weaknesses. Then you realise that they have not been in the formation for so long.”

Robert Klein, CEO of Bundesliga International, revealed that two German outfits are in talks with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs during his keynote address at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) convention on the business of football in India - GOAL 2019. "I can tell that there are two Bundesliga clubs currently in negotiations with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs although I cannot reveal their names. I think calling India a sleeping giant is a mistake. The giant has woken," he stated. Klein emphasised that Bundesliga will step foot in India only with a long-term vision and plan. "Some of the previous European clubs coming into India had a short-term vision. That is not how we (Bundesliga) like to operate. For us, it's about the long-term vision and sustainability." Although he acknowledges that cricket remains the number one sport in the country, he believes that football also has the potential to flourish. "Yes, cricket is the major big brother in India but I can say that many people who are fans of cricket are also sports fans. That is, some of them are also football fans. If you see in India, there are three-four major footballing regions or hubs like NorthEast, Kerala and Goa. You can say these regions contain 10 per cent of India’s population which would be around 130 million. Even that number is greater than what is present in any European country so the potential is huge. "You can move forward in a way in which both sports (Cricket and football) can co-exist together by not cannibalizing each other's space with regards to the scheduling," stated Klein.

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Peter Bosz has admitted he is unsure about the futures of top talents Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz and Jonathan Tah. All three players are well regarded in the Bundesliga and are rumoured to be key summer targets for some of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer. Havertz has been linked with Arsenal and Bayern Munich, and has been billed as the ‘next Mesut Ozil’ in his homeland. Defender Tah is reportedly a target for Liverpool and Barcelona, despite signing a new contract with Leverkusen in February. Meanwhile, Brandt is perhaps the most sought-after of the three talents and his superb performances at club level mean he has become a regular on the international stage for Germany. There has also been added speculation surrounding the midfielder’s future given that he has a release clause in his contract. With the trio attracting so much attention from other clubs, Bosz seems unsure whether they will remain at the club next season. “It's hard to say if they'll play together here next year, I do not know, but I assume they're here,” said Bosz. “There is a lot of discussion about Julian's exit clause at the moment, the others have none. “He's having fun in his new position and learning a lot there, but all three are not done yet, so I hope the three stay together for at least a year. But, as a coach, you can only hope, you cannot decide." Bosz was appointed as head coach of the Bundesliga outfit in December 2018 and is enjoying his return to management after a disappointing spell in charge of Borussia Dortmund, where he was fired after just four months. "I knew that after my time in Dortmund the next step would have to work out for me,” he said. “The squad is talented, there is quality and it's fun to work with these players. It’s fun to work with young players who want to get better, even the more seasoned players like the Bender twins are interested. You can tell if that's real, that's great fun.” Leverkusen are currently sixth in the table and sit five points off Borussia Monchengladbach, who occupy the final Champions League spot. Next up for Leverkusen is a trip to Hoffenheim on Friday, before hosting RB Leipzig the following week.

Joelinton insists he will stay at Hoffenheim despite reported interest from Newcastle United and RB Leipzig. The Brazilian striker spent the last two campaigns on loan at Rapid Vienna before returning to Hoffenheim this season, scoring 11 goals in all competitions. Joelinton extended his contract through to 2022 in November, yet that has not halted speculation that he might be on the move at the end of 2018-19. Newcastle have been linked with a club-record €60 million (£51m/$68m) deal, while Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick openly discussed his side's interest in the player. But even with Hoffenheim sitting nine points adrift of a Champions League place, Joelinton says he is committed to the club. "I have a contract here, whether we are in Europe or not," he told Kicker. "That has no influence. "I will continue to play here, with or without Champions League football. I'm very happy here and happy to play for Hoffenheim." Alfred Schreuder will return to Hoffenheim as head coach next season, replacing the outgoing Julian Nagelsmann, who is set for Leipzig. And Joelinton is looking forward to linking up with Schreuder, having worked with the Dutchman when he assisted Nagelsmann. "I worked with [Schreuder] for a while in my first season at Hoffenheim," Joelinton said. "He's very professional. "He was very supportive of me and the young players back then and I'm looking forward to working with him again." Rangnick has previously said of the speculation surrounding a 22-year-old frontman: "I only read that Newcastle want to pay [roughly] £50m for him. "Coming with this fee, the player would get a fitting contract. We are not able to pay this, whoever the player is. "If these numbers are true, [Leipzig could not pay it]. Although it would surprise me, because Mike Ashley, who has never paid more than around £20m for a player, is thinking about selling the club and wants to make a profit. "That he, at the end of his tenure at Newcastle, would buy a player for so much money is hard to believe. "But it doesn't matter, even if the fee is a bit below that. We will never be a club who can afford such players. It amused me a bit in these past days, reading this and also being linked to the player."